


His and Her Circumstance

by Musica



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adult Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Adult Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2020-05-02 06:01:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19193167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musica/pseuds/Musica
Summary: Five years after receiving their Miraculous, Adrien and Marinette continue the fight against Hawkmoth and his akuma. Several things have changed over time, though, including their hopes for love. When an impulsive decision takes place, our heroes face a new challenge of dating with secrets.Mostly Adrienette with a touch of MariChat...you'll see.May adjust rating to M later if things get spicy. Canon compliant through Timetagger. Updates middle of each month.





	1. First Morning's Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written twice so apologies if the first two chapters are slightly verbose as I jammed Adrien and Marinette's individual POVs back together. PLEASE comment - I live for the comments. This is my first multi-chapter story (and fourth overall) for the ML fandom.

Blond locks fluttered with the cold wind, Chat Noir relaxing in the shadow of a chimney as he surveyed the city. The night sky was a pitch black field with bursts of light blossoming all over as Paris celebrated the New Year. The gala event his father had hosted was, of course, still going, Gabriel Agreste actually making an appearance in order to discuss the coming year with his executives. Nathalie had made sure Adrien socialized with the proper individuals but even she couldn’t force him to stay past midnight. Their soft exchange of _good nights_ and _happy New Year’s_ saw the teen idol away, back to an empty manor, to a large room, and right out a vaulted window.

Five years of being under Hawkmoth’s threat meant that, while the city as a whole had learned to be more positive, Chat Noir still anticipated the holidays to have an uptick in akuma attacks _. If only Hawkmoth took a vacation once in a while or just enjoyed the holidays like everyone else. Well, most everyone else_ , Chat mused to himself. A sigh briefly plumed up into the cool air before the hero decided to stretch his legs. No one seemed to notice the cat as he jumped about, exploring Paris as only a Miraculous user could.

It was both amazing and unnerving that the night was uneventful. Surely someone in the entirety of Paris would be unhappy at the turn of the New Year for Hawkmoth to prey on. _Maybe he really is taking a break tonight_ , he thought. Another thought crept unwanted into the back of his mind and, try as he might, Chat couldn’t shake it. Marinette was alone. He knew that she would be following Christmas. Nino and Alya were on a romantic getaway for the holidays. When asked about her plans for New Years Eve, Marinette had smiled and politely said she’d be at home; her parents had a trip and the girl had offered to watch the bakery.

 _Marinette wouldn’t get akumatized_ , Chat reminded himself. Five years of akumas and she’d remained untouched by malicious butterflies. And yet…Chat still worried. He had already had to fight his best friend twice and Alya three times. He didn’t want to have to fight Marinette, too; best to confirm with his own eyes that she was still as optimistic as ever.

The bakery was, unsurprisingly, dark, as were the lights in the home above it that she could best enjoy the skyline as fireworks burst, streaked, and fanned in various shows. In her mind, Marinette replayed her recent phone calls. Her parents were doing great and her uncle sent his love; Alya and Nino had been somewhere much more loud. They sounded very happy. And drunk. Still, they were having a wonderful trip and Marinette knew there was a ring burning its way in Nino’s pocket. A smile stretched over her mouth as she thought about how happy her best friend was about to become.

A sudden sound above her pulled the girl from thoughts of the future. It was the third floor so, really, there were only so many options as to who it could possibly be. Straightening her pink sweatpants, Marinette climbed her ladder.

His footsteps were purposefully heavy as a signal that he was up there. It was only a few breaths of time before the door pushed open to reveal an ivory face.

“Chat Noir, what are you doing here?”

He stretched casually, grinning at her. “This seemed like a great spot to watch some fireworks.”

“Of all the balconies in Paris, you just had to pick mine?” Marinette sassed, clearly disbelieving. Surely the Eiffel would be the best locale.

“You made the mistake of feeding a stray.”

“That was five years ago, Chat,” and the ravenette rolled her eyes at him. “I still can’t believe you actually said yes.” It had only been the _most awkward date ever_ , Marinette thought, _and all because I panicked._

He took the chance to step closer to the door, winking at the girl. “You’re the one who confessed,” Chat’s grin spreading to Cheshire proportions when she blushed.

Marinette glanced away first. It was a lie she’d made her peace with. “I-I don’t know what I was thinking, okay?” She knew _exactly_ what she’d been thinking but that would hopefully go to the grave with her. “You’ve obviously been in love with Ladybug.” She shivered, one arm hugging herself even as she stood holding the door open. “If you want to talk, I’d rather you come inside. And if you make a comment about inviting strays inside, I’ll kick you right back out onto the street,” Marinette threatened.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” he joked but even he could see how cold she was in her pajamas. It was thanks to his suit he didn’t feel the chill of winter, but she wasn’t protected by magic leather like he was. He followed her neatly inside, onto the bed and down the ladder. “You can kick this stray out at any time. I won’t be offended,” Chat said honestly, glancing about a dark bedroom. It had been years since he’d been in Marinette’s room but it hadn’t changed much – mostly the plants brought indoors, art collages, and a dedicated board to pictures of their group. The room was still predominantly pink and filled with sketches and fabric, a mannequin in the corner decorated with swathes of lace. The chaise lounge had been moved to be right beneath the window.

“It’s okay, I’d like the company.” She sat by the window and gently patted the spot next to her. It wasn’t exactly how she saw her evening going but she’d learned to roll with the punches.

“Why aren’t you out celebrating?” They were nineteen, and unlike himself Marinette didn’t have a mandatory gala to be paraded about. Surely there was a friend’s party she’d be invited to? Blue eyes kept to the window as he sat beside her.

“Everyone is busy,” her answer came softly. “My parents are visiting family in China, two of my best friends are on a trip, and my third best friend is tied up with family stuff.” She’d have loved to spend the evening with Adrien, but the blond had put on his model smile when he spoke about the party his father’s company was hosting. And besides, if there was an akuma attack, she would have to find some way to leave.

There was no guilt in her words, but Adrien felt his heart twinge all the same. Maybe he could have asked Nathalie about extending an invitation, but he fully anticipated an akuma attack. “Why didn’t you go with your family?”

“I’d rather stay in Paris,” and those blue eyes met his green ones with some deeper meaning. “Besides, someone should watch the shop.”

“Surely a girl like you has other friends she could have celebrated with.” She was only one of the most popular girls during their time at Lycee from her personality alone. Tack on that she had only become more beautiful over the years and it was a wonder boys in her university program hadn’t been clamoring for her attention.

The gentlest of smiles graced her mouth as she looked at him. “I am with a friend.” Chat stared at her in surprise. “I mean…I consider us friends, though we don’t talk very often. Here and there over the past several years, but I like you.” She was blushing intensely again. “Is that weird?”

“N-no, it’s not weird!” _Did I just stutter?_ “I consider you a friend, as well.”

The pair sat quietly in the dark, eyes turned to the window as flashes of red and green lit up the sky. “Did you get to enjoy a party tonight?” He seemed like a party type, joking with faceless friends and flirting with beautiful, faceless women in Marinette’s imagination.

“I did,” if by ‘enjoy’ it meant ‘exchanging the usual pleasantries with the company’s main models.’

There was a sly pull of her mouth. “Did you kiss anyone?”

“No,” and where he once would have let it roll off his shoulder with a playboy attitude, Chat let the façade drop. “I haven’t seen Ladybug tonight to ask, though I doubt she’d accept.”

Marinette turned to stare at him, this vulnerable version of one of her best friends. “Even after all these years, you still love her.” _He still loves me_ , the thought twisting in her heart. He had flirted with her for years but that was just the status quo, or so she thought.

He could have sworn she was seeing into his soul. “I do,” he admitted. “She fell for me once, though neither of us remembers how. I kept hoping that she would again but, that was years ago. It’s hard, sometimes, to keep holding onto that hope. What about you? A beautiful, smart, funny, nice girl like yourself no doubt has men vying for her affections.” Nothing like laying it on thick to cover his own hurts, and it worked if the level of which she was blushing and staring at him was an indication. The stutters were also a clue.

Even knowing he was deflecting the topic, she couldn’t help the way her whole face suddenly burned. “N-n-no, I d-don’t have any one. I…I would have liked to have someone to kiss at midnight, but no. Maybe next year.” If she could ever bring herself to tell Adrien how she felt, but there was never a good time. The ravenette averted her gaze back to the window even as she felt his gaze linger and the silence began to stretch.

Green eyes fixed on her even as she firmly watched the window with a look of longing. A burst of red light flickered over her pale face in the dark. Adrien had never heard her mention any romantic interests before. How, if she was so wonderful, if people could so easily fall for her, was Marinette alone when she clearly wanted someone?

“Would you…like a kiss, this year?” he heard himself ask.

Blue eyes flicked to him this time, wide with surprise. “What?” _There was no way I heard that right._

“I mean,” and Chat felt his face burn, one hand moving to scratch the back of his head as his blush bled around the edges of his mask. “As friends.”

_Nope. I heard that right._

“I just thought…We’re both single, currently. But it’s okay-“

“Okay,” her voice echoed him as much as it silenced him. Marinette glanced away shyly before she steeled herself to look at him. It was just a kiss, and he was one of her dearest friends whether he knew it or not. “I would like that.”

The look on her face was so reminiscent of Ladybug his breath got lost somewhere on its way to his chest. Claws gently pushed away strands of ink black hair as he cupped her face, gaze moving from blue eyes to rosy lips. He moved slowly in case she wanted to retract her decision but Marinette angled herself better towards him, one hand coming up to hold his gently to her cheek. His lips brushed against hers experimentally, the tickling sensation sending a ripple down his spine. Her lips were soft and gentle when he pressed more confidently into the kiss. A sweet smell filled his nose and for the life of him, Chat couldn’t place where he’d experienced the scent before. It mesmerized him, the boy losing himself to the sensation of her lips moving against his. His heart keened when Marinette pulled away, eyelids fluttering open to look at her to see a reflection of his own reticence.

Ivory hands were coaxing him back, moonlighted skin set against the black of his leather, and instant relief washed through him when she was kissing him again.

 _We both need this_ , the thought distant as Marinette held him, her partner following her lead instinctively even as she lay down.

It was when teeth gently pulled at his lower lip that Chat realized they had moved, with Marinette reclining on the chaise and himself resting atop her. Panic flared in his chest. This wasn’t what he wanted. She was his friend and, as far as she knew, he was a stranger. What would she even say if she knew him to be Adrien?

“Marinette,” he broke from her lips and instantly felt the crave return despite his anxiety.

“Just for tonight, Chaton,” Marinette sighed, threading her fingers into his hair. “Just kissing. Nothing more.” While it wasn’t entirely platonic, it wasn’t sexual, either. How many years had she dreamed of kissing someone fondly? How many times had her mind betrayed her and pondered after her black cat in lieu of another blond?

The nickname coupled with the way she tickled his scalp made him melt against better judgment. If this was so wrong, why did it feel so right? “Just kissing,” he agreed softly, “and you can tell me to stop at any point.”

 _Such a gentleman._  She smiled and leaned up to brush against his mouth again, coaxing Chat into a casual make out. The feel of his weight, the scent of cologne and leather, and soft blond locks had her delighted by every sense.

The sensation of her body against his, her scent filling his nose, and her fingers running through blond hair had him utterly entranced. Claws trailed lightly through her hair before moving to gently hold her waist. A giggle pulled him back to reality, the raven haired girl pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You’re purring.”

“Sorry?”

He looked so genuinely unsure of himself she couldn’t help but love seeing this side of her partner. “It’s cute,” Marinette assured him before closing her eyes and relaxing against the chair’s cushion. Moonlight filtered through the port window instead of the brief colorations of fireworks, causing ivory skin to glow.

“You’re beautiful, Princess.” It was only right to inform her as he toyed with the end of a pigtail.

The smile she bore quirked into a smirk as blue eyes peeked open. “You’re pretty handsome yourself, Kitty.” Gentle hands continued to pet him as if Chat were an actual feline, Marinette’s fingers taking care with the leather ears that magically perched atop his head. “Thank you, for tonight. It’s nice to have a friend.”

“Likewise.”

“Will you stay with me, until I fall asleep?”

“Of course,” and he gave her one more chaste kiss before smoothly moving off to the side. The narrowness of the chaise made it so they lay close together but for as strange as the night had turned, Adrien couldn’t help but feel at peace.

With the comfort of his frame at her back and purring in her ears, Marinette fell asleep.


	2. Divine Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisses and cuddles between friends are all well and good, but neither teen expected there to be an awkward morning after. Call it irresponsible or call it divine intervention. Plagg is, after all, the kwami of destruction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been freshly edited together. Apologies if this one also seemed verbose but I wanted to really explore what each of them are feeling because Unrequited Feelings are Hard, and there is just so much introspection and humor to be had with individual focus.
> 
> Alternate title for this chapter was, "Plagg's an Asshole."

The sunlight was gradually lightening the room, little dust motes dancing lazily by the window as Marinette roused. The gradual process of her dream slipping by was accompanied by a relaxed sigh and pressing back against her source of warmth in a cool room. _Wait_ , and blue eyes snapped open to meet a very unusual pair of green ones. Marinette blinked and looked dumbly at Plagg, who was looking at her rather slyly. A glance down showed a masculine arm draped over her waist, his hand over one of her own. A masculine arm devoid of leather and sporting a silver ring on the fourth finger. His Miraculous. _Oh shit_. It hadn’t been a dream, she realized with growing dread. She really _had_ made out with Chat Noir last night and invited him to spend the night. _This is a DISASTER!_   Moving her hand seemed to trigger his fingers to close on her own, the boy behind her giving a grunt of sorts as he slept. Blue eyes snapped up to the kwami, willing him to _get in the ring_ before Chat did something stupid like sit up and reveal his identity. Plagg, much to her chagrin, just gave her a devilish grin. _Why you little-!_ The sudden tension she felt indicated Chat had just woken up and come to the same sudden reality she had.

He couldn’t tell what had woken him, but several things became apparent in rapid succession. First, that he wasn’t in his bed. Second, he wasn’t alone. And third, he was no longer Chat Noir. _Oh no. No no no. This is bad._

Adrien’s mind was attempting to gain a mental foothold on the situation. The way that they had fallen asleep gave him a clear view over her head to see Plagg grinning like the asshole he was. Grinning and _in full view of a civilian_. A shiver passed through the girl and his adrenaline kicked up a notch to know Marinette was awake.

“Good morning, Marinette.”

“G-good morning!” the squeakiness of her own voice causing her to wince. Plagg’s eyes were focused just behind her head, no doubt exchanging stares with his Chosen. Her partner. Her partner in civilian form. An entire dialogue passed silently based on the kwami’s eyes before Marinette felt civilian-Chat shift behind her.

Yep, she was totally awake, and understandably nervous based on that response. Adrien narrowed his eyes at the kwami. Plagg just _had_ to show himself! A defeated sigh had the boy sink into the chaise before he indicated with his head towards the girl: _say hi._ The cat narrowed his eyes back before looking at Marinette again.

“Hello,” Plagg began with a very methodical approach. “I’m Plagg. I’m a kwami.”

 “Hello, Plagg,” her voice mimicked his, sounding as if she were reading a script. “I’m Marinette. An ordinary girl.” _God please don’t make this worse._

Adrien could have died. He settled for a groan. “Can I trust you to keep a secret?” Not like he had a choice now. She nodded once. “Plagg is my kwami, kind of like a genie. He’s the reason I can become Chat Noir.”

“…Ok.” What else could she say? Certainly not, _I know. Oh, wouldn’t you know, I have one of those, too!_ Her face burned and she glared at Plagg. Of _course_ she knew he was a prankster but this was a low blow.

He had backed Marinette into a corner by spending the night. Shame and anxiety coursed through him. Maybe if he transformed now he could- “There might be some cheese in the kitchen.” Or Marinette could say the _one_ _thing_ that would actually tempt Plagg.

“Don’t mind if I do!” and the kwami zipped away from them, cackling.

“Ugh, why did you do that?” Adrien wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and cry.

“I was getting nervous with him looking at me like that,” which was true. Plagg could easily out her as Ladybug which would make this whole thing _even better_.

A new horror dawned on Adrien. “His stomach is a bottomless pit. You live in a bakery!”

She nearly giggled. It was oddly cute of Chat to worry about that when he was on the verge of being discovered. “Don’t worry, Kitty. The bakery is closed. He can eat whatever he wants.” That got him to sigh to which she giggled.

The reverberation of the sound in his chest caused the knot of anxiety to loosen. Maybe…this wasn’t the worst thing to ever happen. Not ideal but at least, if he had to reveal the existence of kwamis to anyone, it was Marinette. She would be a good ally if he and Ladybug ever needed to lend out a Miraculous.

“He’s going to demand we come back here. I know we joked about feeding a stray but _he’s_ the one you have to worry about.” The anxiety-riddled knot loosened a bit further, Adrien falling back on humor to soothe himself.

To speak with Chat like...this, whatever this was, felt nice. Casual. She looked at his hand again, gently threading his fingers with her own. “If you want, I can always save some pastries for you two.”

There was a moment of panic as she brushed the ring. No, not his Miraculous. Just his hand, Adrien realized, as her fingers wove with his own. Marinette wasn’t like that; she was just holding his hand. Well, if there was anyone he was safe dropping his transformation with aside from Ladybug, it was Marinette so, despite the situation, he smiled. “We’d like that.”

 “I thought you’d be gone when I woke up.” Marinette pressed a little closer to his warmth.

“Funny, so did I.” The sensation of actually cuddling up with someone had been too alluring.

“Why did you stay?” Not that she was complaining. Waking up next to someone was better than she expected, even if she couldn’t see his face.

“Would you believe me if I said I just fell asleep?”

“Yes.”

“…Thank you,” his voice was soft.

“For what?”

“For…not looking . Or panicking about Plagg.”

 _Oh, I’m panicking about Plagg._ “Your secret is safe, even from me, Chat Noir,” Marinette promised. “I know it’s important you keep your identity a secret.”

His heart surged with affection. Here was this amazing, talented, kind girl in his arms. Adrien sighed, the exhale taking the tension from his frame. She deserved all the happiness the world could offer. “You’re amazing, Princess.”

“Yeah, I know. No. Wait. Where is this coming from?”

“You just are,” he laughed. Even at nineteen, she could still stumble over herself, a trait he’d grown fond of. “I really don’t understand how guys aren’t knocking on your door.”

“It’s not that easy. There’s only one person I want, but he’s…he’s incredible. I’ve wanted to confess to him for years but I always chicken out. Now, I’m scared I’ll ruin our friendship. I don’t want to lose him, Chat.” Alya thought she was crazy stupid, but Marinette had gotten to a point where she was comfortable with Adrien. They could talk and joke and sit in comfortable silence. It may not be her adolescent dreams come true but he was more than a pretty face to kiss. Not that she’d say no to kissing Adrien Agreste if he ever asked, but Marinette valued _Adrien_ for himself and her heart might not survive if she lost him.

A sense of understanding washed through him, Adrien rendered mute as he tried to come to terms with her unknowing confession. There were only so many boys she’d been friends with for years and he was pretty sure she didn’t mean Nino. “Uh, forgive me, Princess, but could I use your restroom?”

“It’s the door that way,” the ravenette pointing over her shoulder while pointedly still looking at the wall.

“Much obliged,” and Adrien carefully extricated himself to the safety of the bathroom. While he was there, may as well actually relieve himself. Thoughts swirled in his head. Marinette was in love with him? Had been for years? There was a chance she meant someone else but surely he would have heard about anyone else by now given they regularly hung out. That day at the Gavrin Museum made much more sense now. Green eyes stared back at him from the mirror, Adrien noting how his hair seemed even more _Chat_ than usual, and he found he rather liked seeing himself with untamed locks. _So I know how she feels about me. I guess, the question is how do I feel about her?_ It’s not like he was oblivious to her charm. Five years to witness up close how intelligent, creative, and genuine Marinette was, she had every quality that drew his attention. It just happened that Ladybug had captured his eye and heart first so he had always suppressed his attraction to the baker’s daughter. _Maybe…if I hadn’t met Ladybug, I’d have pursued Marinette_ , the thought occurred to him. If that was true, and if Bunnix was telling the truth that Ladybug would never return his feelings aside from the Oblivio incident, then perhaps it would be best to give up on one amazing girl for another. Kagami’s advice came back to him: _change targets_.

Marinette took a deep breath to settle her nerves as she lay on the chaise. Well, this certainly wasn’t a situation she’d ever expected, but at least she still didn’t know his identity. There was no telling when Chat or Plagg would rejoin her, so the girl waved off her kwami when Tikki thought to poke her head out. “Not now,” she mouthed. It would be the worst thing ever if the boy opened the door to see a kwami that was most definitely not his. There would no doubt be lengthy and repeated conversations about this little trist with the little luck god starting today, but at least Tikki was a forgiving and motherly type.

It was equal parts painful and relieving to his heart when Adrien made his choice. It wasn’t fair to himself to wait on Ladybug forever; there would always be a place in his heart for her, but he would not wait indefinitely when there was a chance of happiness right next to him.

If only Plagg hadn’t abandoned him for the kitchen; this would be much easier with a mask. As it were, Adrien would have to trust the girl to continue devoutly looking anywhere but at him. The bathroom door opened slowly, one green eye peering carefully through to spy Marinette still quietly on the chaise lounge. Even without the suit, his steps fell softly.

The back of her neck began to tingle. Whether he knew it or not, there was some innate connection between Ladybug and her Chat Noir that Marinette simply knew he was back, even if his movements were silent. _Damn cat is quiet in his civilian form_ , the thought quirking her lips into a smile because the words _Quiet_ and _Chat Noir_ didn’t usually go together. “I’d offer you breakfast but I’m unsure how that would actually work right now,” she joked.

“Poorly, since _someone_ decided to tell my kwami there was _cheese_ in the kitchen,” he playfully responded. “It’s just my luck you would know his weakness.”

“Sorry,” Marinette offered her apology, blushing and toying with some hair as she steadfastly kept her back to him.  _Sorry not sorry Plagg is easy to bribe._

“I was thinking, Princess…that you should confess to your friend. Anyone would be lucky to have your heart, and if he can’t see what I see, then he never deserved you in the first place.”

Her face felt hot; why was he bringing this up again? Marinette’s heart twisted even thinking about it. A sigh parted from her and the ravenette curled into herself. “I don’t want to lose him.” _He is so very, very important to me._

 “You won’t,” Adrien assured her, one hand setting lightly on her shoulder. “If you’ve been friends for this long, he won’t want to lose you, either. I’m sure of it.”

Her hand came up to cover his and squeeze it gently. If only she had his confidence. “Thank you, Chat.” His hand was surprisingly soft and gentle, she found herself just reveling in the ability to hold his hand without their suits.

The moment had him looking at the way their hands looked together, to focus on the pleasant warmth of her skin. They sat quietly like that for a time. That was, until a little black cat returned, singing the names of cheeses.

“Asiago, swiss, cheddar, brie, blue, gruyere, and oh sweet cam-“

“Plagg,” Adrien just groaned, offering the most lackluster, “claws out,” of his life. He would deal with the kwami later. “There, you can turn around now.”

“I was wondering how long that would take,” she admitted, turning to face the hero conversationally.

“We’re lucky it wasn’t longer,” Chat offering an apologetic grin. “He’s something of a glutton.”

 _A fact I will happily take advantage of._ “Now that your identity is safe, did you want breakfast?”

“A sweet offer,” and the pun was paired with his trademark wink, “but this cat has overstayed his welcome.” He stood and offered his trademark kiss to the back of her hand, green eyes catching her blue ones. “This cat humbly thanks his princess for a most _enjoyable_ evening.” His smirk was matched by a furious blush.

“Darn flirt,” she grumbled loud enough for him to laugh as he made for the ladder.

“And I’m serious, Marinette,” his demeanor relaxing back to the ease of earlier conversation. “Tell him. He’d be a fool to let you go.”

“Thank you, Chat. And… thank you for my New Years Eve.” It was still a bizarre situation in every regard, but she knew in her heart that there was nothing to regret about his visit. Maybe Marinette wasn’t in love with Chat Noir, but he did have a firm place in her heart.

His heart gave a little hop at the way she adamantly looked at him as she said it. The blush had yet to subside from freckled cheeks. As he exited onto the balcony, Chat decided that red looked good on Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest. I made myself laugh with several moments in this chapter like Marinette silently pleading with Plagg to Get In The Ring and Adrien's most unenthusiastic transformation ever. What were your favorite bits?
> 
> You'll find I enjoy putting specific phrases in as little hat tips to the show or fandom. Marinette claiming she's an ordinary girl. Adrien and his friendzoning. Key wordings that make you groan because Irony. You're welcome.
> 
> One reader was so kind as to point out that Marinette should have been able to recognize the ring as Adrien's. I figure that she wasn't really examining it in this scene (what with panicking about Civilian-Chat), and I have a headcannon that she thinks the ring Adrien wears is probably his mother's and missing a stone. Have no fear - there is a Plan.


	3. Kwami Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plagg and Tikki give advice in their own ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had only a couple people voice one way or another on the formatting. I'm leaning towards going back to third-person-omniscient for the remainder of the story unless people really speak up to keep the experiences separate. I may edit the first two chapters to remove the double posting, too, so that the entire fanfiction is consistent.

 

The trap door had barely shut before Marinette’s hands flew to her hair and pulled at it. “This is a disaster.” Tikki was quick to come out of hiding now, the expression on her face the visual representation of _You Brought This On Yourself_. She didn’t even have to say anything – Marinette was already cringing and words came tumbling from her mouth. “I just, I made out with Chat Noir. I made out with Chat Noir as Marinette. I mean, at least I didn’t make out with him as Ladybug. God, that would have led him on.” She went from pulling at messy pigtails to digging the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I’m officially the _worst!_ ”

“You are not the worst, Marinette. Just think back. What were you thinking last night?” the red bug posing the question more to give the girl a track to focus on rather than being judgmental.

She collapsed onto the chaise lounge as she tried to assemble the puzzle that was the last several hours. “When Chat Noir came to visit, I guess, I was… lonely? I mean, it was nice to have someone to talk to since everyone else is gone or busy. I didn’t really expect him to offer a kiss?” Marinette winced. It made sense at the time.

“But you said yes because…?”

“Tikki, are you _smirking!?”_

“No,” and the kwami was quick to offer a much more comforting expression that was definitely not smirking.

“Ugh.” The late night conversation replayed in snippets in her mind. “I just…really wanted to be kissed.” _Great_ , _I sound pathetic._ There was no denying that part. “I’ve been focused on Adrien for so long and turned down so many really nice guys. It was a nice idea to be able to enjoy a kiss without any sort of pretense.” Except it was way more than a kiss. She’d kept kissing him. She’d blatantly made out with him. The smell of leather and cologne had been a pleasant combination and those first few kisses tasted of champagne. Something about the tender way he’d kissed her, too, had been a surprise. This was the third time she had kissed Chat Noir, but it was necessary the first time (Thanks, Dark Cupid) and neither of them remembered the second (Damnit, what _happened_ with Oblivio). It was also the first kiss with her as Marinette and he’d been a willing participant. And now she could say, he was a very good kisser.

“Uh huh. You seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

Her hand was quick to the pillow before she was throwing it across the room but Tikki just dodged with a giggle like the tinkling of a wind chime. _I kissed Chat Noir. I_ liked _kissing Chat Noir_ , the thought percolated. Marinette flopped back on the chaise, blue eyes staring aimlessly at the ceiling as one hand came up to touch her lips. “I think he’s trying to move on from Ladybug,” the admission pulling at her heart against her will. She had spurned him for years knowing full well how he felt about her alter ego. And now she knew what it was like to hold him and be held by him, what it was like to have his weight settled atop her. It had felt good. The teen’s face positively _burned_ at that line of thought.

“You’re not thinking to date Chat Noir as Marinette, are you?”

“What? No! That’s ridiculous, Tikki. Maybe it’s time I move on from Adrien but dating Chat Noir is _not_ an option. I want movie dates and dinners at nice restaurants and walks in the park. Chat Noir can’t do those things with the mask, and I don’t want to know his identity. It also wouldn’t be fair to know who he is without outing myself as Ladybug.” No, dating Chat was definitely not an option. If she wouldn’t have him as Ladybug, then she didn’t deserve him as Marinette. A sudden thought had her sit up suddenly, Tikki barely dodging in time. “He can _never_ know I’m Ladybug.”

“You’ve said before, to keep your identities a secret?”

“No, Tikki. He was looking for Ladybug but found Marinette and then made out with Marinette to get over Ladybug. If he were to find out Marinette is Ladybug, I don’t even know what it would do to him.” And all thoughts of eventually revealing their identities once Hawkmoth was defeated were no longer viable. A long winded groan crawled from her throat as she dropped her face into her hands. _Oh, Chaton, I’m so sorry._ “I don’t want to hurt him, Tikki.”

She felt the weight perch gently on her shoulder. “I know this seems like the end of the world, but it will be okay, Marinette. I think you and Chat Noir are at the same crossroad. You’ve been in love with Adrien for five years; Chat Noir has been in love with Ladybug for the same amount of time. You both talked about trying to move on, and you were very clear last night that you two are kissing as friends. I think you needed each other for comfort, and that’s not wrong.”

Slowly, her hands fell away to settle in her lap. “He thinks I should confess to Adrien.” It was kind of a strange thing, the boy you were just making out with encouraging you to ask out a different boy, but it wasn’t like she and Chat were interested in each other.

“I think you should, too. You’ve wanted to all this time. If you’re thinking to move on, you may as well be honest with Adrien. You have nothing to lose.”

“What if I lose Adrien all together? What if he’s so awkward knowing I’m in love with him that he starts to avoid coming to our hang outs and then Nino asks all, _Yo dude what gives,_ and Adrien tells Nino he doesn’t want to see me and then Nino and Alya have to choose between us and-“

“I’m just going to stop you there,” and Tikki flew to place one paw against Marinette’s mouth. “What Chat Noir said is the truth. You won’t lose Adrien as a friend. You know him well enough to see how much he values his friends.”

“Yeah. He stood by _Chloe_ despite her helping akumatize half of Paris,” the ravenette ground out against the red paw.

“Exactly although that wasn’t the _exact_ example I was thinking of but it’s a pretty strong case.” The little god of luck removed her paw in favor of brushing Marinette’s cheek affectionately. “You have nothing to lose. Talk to Adrien. If he says no, he will still be your friend.  You can move on knowing that you tried. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

A sigh escaped the girl as she put on a smile. “You’re right, Tikki. As usual.”

“I’ve seen many Ladybugs through difficult situations. It will be okay. I promise.”

“I believe you. I’m just scared.” Deft hands moved to pull the bands from black locks. The girl got up and went in search of her hairbrush. “One thing is for sure, though. Plagg is a _jerk_.”

* * *

A leap and a smooth landing preceded a grumpy utterance of, “Claws in.” The kwami had barely left the ring before Adrien was snatching him out of the air. “What were you _thinking_ showing yourself to Marinette!”

Plagg, to his credit, didn’t look perturbed in the slightest. “You’re the one who decided to spend the night.”

“That’s beside the point,” the teen ground out. “You could have woken me up and we could have left without risking my identity.”

“But that wouldn’t have been nearly as fun,” the cat giving him a fanged smile.

“Nothing about this morning was _fun_ to me.” The anxiety of knowing Marinette could turn her head at any moment – accidental or otherwise – and see that the very boy she liked was the same one she’d made out with was only starting to subside. That scenario did _not_ end well in his mind and he was so grateful she’d obediently stared at her wall. The thought of losing Marinette’s trust rattled him to his core.

“But _last night_ was,” the kwami teased.

Adrien dropped Plagg on the couch, grumbling as he paced the room. Strong fingers raked through his hair, tugging at the roots. “Last night was not exactly something I’d planned, okay?” Thank his lucky stars that there wasn’t an akuma because he’d been entirely too caught up with the baker’s daughter. Heat rose to his cheeks recalling little details like her scent, the softness of her lips, the sensation of her fingers lightly scratching his scalp, how she felt under him. The boy gulped. There was no way he’d be able to sit across from her at the lunch table and not think about those things or what they could eventually lead to. He was a gentleman in deed but he couldn’t control hormonal teenage thoughts.

Green eyes watched him tack back and forth. “You liiiiiiiike her,” the black cat practically trilled it, smirking at Adrien’s deer-in-headlights expression.

“She’s my friend. Of course I like her.” And now that he was moving on from Ladybug, he was willing to see if that became something more.

 “Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Plagg shrugged. “Go ahead and reminisce about your girlfriend but I’m hungry.”

“ _Girlfriend_!?” Adrien blanched.

“You made out with her and then told her to ask you out. I call it as I see it.”

He opened his mouth…and then shut it with a click. Plagg had a point. His heart had felt so sure just minutes ago that he wanted to date her and now he was balking because of a label? No, he was sure. He liked Marinette and he was willing to give them a chance. He could worry about the labels later. Green eyes flicked up and saw the kwami grinning. “You know what? You don’t get cheese this time.”

“What!?”

The boy narrowed his eyes at the kwami. “I’d rather eat it than give it to you.”

“You don’t even like camembert!” As if to make good on his threat, Adrien took out the wedge, unpeeled it, and popped it in his mouth before he could second guess himself. _This is vile_ , but he chewed regardless, maintaining eye contact with Plagg the entire time. The experience was somewhat redeemed by watching the cat’s jaw fall slack. “That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you ate more than enough at Marinette’s. Did you even leave anything?”

“I only ate the cheese,” Plagg huffed at him.

Adrien flopped atop the bed, puffing air to move the bangs off of his nose. “What was I thinking?”

“Is that a rhetorical question or are you actually expecting an answer?” Plagg’s tone mildly upset.

“The former but go right ahead. You will anyway.”

“From what I recall,” Plagg carrying on, “you were out looking for your New Years Kiss-“

“I was looking for aku-“

“-and remembered a _beautiful baker_ was all alone,” Plagg carrying on sickeningly sweet, batting his eyelashes at Adrien before the overdramatic lovestruck smile turned disgusted as he audibly gagged. “And then you decided to kiss her repeatedly.”

“I was- It- Ugh. It felt nice,” Adrien mumbled under his breath as he glanced away.

“Of course it did, kid. Humans and their hormones, yech.” Even if the boy ate one piece of cheese, that didn’t mean Plagg didn’t have a stash elsewhere in the room. “I told you years ago to look at this girl but you were always daydreaming about Ladybug.” A piece of cheese in either hand, Plagg pointed one at Adrien as if it were a weapon. “The gross face hogging aside, you were more reckless than even I could have guessed, falling asleep there.”

“What, do you want me to say you were right? Would that make you feel better, Plagg?”

“Actually, yes, yes it would.” One wedge of camembert disappeared into his mouth before the little cat continued. “I’m waiting.”

Two sets of green eyes glared at one another in a battle of wills. “Fine.” Adrien caved, “you were right-“

“Thank you.”

“-to think that Marinette-“

“You can stop now.”

“-is someone worth dating.”

“…Are you done now?”

“Yes.”

“Finally,” Plagg eating the second wedge. “Now then, how are you gonna ask her out?”

“I’m…not?” Plagg’s nonplussed look carried on long enough that the boy squirmed where he lay. “Chat Noir told Marinette that she should confess. It’s up to her. Adrien isn’t supposed to know anything.”

“Hmm, that’s true-“

“I’ll ask her for coffee.”

“What? What happened to leaving it up to her?”

“I’m just giving her an opportunity. That’s all.”

“Suit yourself,” and the kwami floated over to the TV remote, bopping the power button before bouncing between channels until he found something of interest. “Humans and their stupid hormones.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to make little references in the hopes people catch them and share in my nerdery. I feel that most Miraculers are younger than myself so I don't expect many to catch the ones I have added so far. "His and Her Circumstances" (Kare Kano) is a manga I enjoyed ages ago delving into the differing lives of the top two students at school who both appeared to be perfect to everyone else. The title seemed to fit this story well but, while Adrien and Marinette are designed to be opposites of each other, they actually have the same Circumstance in wanting for normal teenage things.
> 
> The other reference is to Happy from Fairy Tail and his trilling "You liiiiiiike her" which is much cuter in Japanese.
> 
> Like this chapter? Dislike this chapter? Please comment! Constructive criticism is always welcome.


	4. It's Just Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing quite like setting up a date in the hopes of being asked out.

**Adrien: Hey! Happy new years!**

**Marinette: Happy new years!! Dare I ask how the party was?**

**Adrien: As expected.**

**Adrien: I have the day free. Would you like to meet up for coffee?**

**Marinette:  Sure!**

 

Adrien took a deep breath. She was up for it. It was kind of ridiculous that he was setting up a date in the hopes of being asked out, but he wasn’t sure if he could sit on his hands for however long it took Marinette to work up the courage on her own. There was a precious small window before their normal lives returned and with that came Excuses™. Years of hanging out with Marinette gave the blond insight into her habits. Her parents would be back which meant family dinners and helping with the bakery. Nino and Alya would be coming home, too, which meant some sorely needed girl time and, if Nino followed through, lots of helping with wedding plans.  And, lest he forget, they both had classes starting up again in two weeks. His father had also made it clear that Adrien would be continuing with fashion shoots and shows in addition to his studies. Tack on Hawkmoth and his stupid plans to steal their Miraculous by terrorizing Paris and that meant vacation was coming to a rapid close and Adrien wanted to be sure things got off on the right foot. Marinette deserved as much, and so did he.

A few more messages bounced between them to set the time and locale of their date, and then Adrien stared at his phone.

“Kid?”

“Yes!” Adrien jumped.

“You’re practically vibrating in your seat and you’re grinning like an idiot.”

“I need to burn some energy.” The teen immediately bounced up and went in search of his running shoes.

“What are you nervous for? You already know she likes you.”

“Exactly.” He found one shoe easily enough and began hunting for the other. “I’m not supposed to know anything, so I can’t be jittery. I need to burn off some energy. Plagg, stop hiding my shoe.”

“I have to do _something_ to entertain myself,” the cat floated lazily on by.

The second shoe was upstairs among his books, as it turned out. Headphones in and music on, Adrien hopped up on his treadmill (it had proven much more useful than the foosball table and a solid excuse as to why he was in athletic shape). Just a handful of hours before he’d see her again. The smile wouldn’t leave his face, his heart lighter than ever.

The beauty routine he normally set to for work events was much more enjoyable now with a date at the end of it. A good shower, a close shave, and the teen set to styling his hair. He grinned as the locks fell this way and that only to realize it was more _Chat_ than _Adrien_. Much as he liked the look, it wasn’t to be. Chat Noir and Marinette had spent enough time together over the years that it would be too risky, and even if his hair passed her notice, _Alya_ was a whole other threat level, so best if he not grow accustomed to Chat hair.

A shiver worked through him. If Alya ever discovered his secret identity, he wasn’t even sure if _Ladybug_ could save him. The junior reporter would probably kill him, or keep him hanging on to life by a mere thread and force every little Chat Noir detail she could from him. It was paramount to protect his identity and, if things went well today, Marinette would be one more reason the hero had to be extra careful to keep the cat in the bag.

* * *

**Adrien: I have the day free. Would you like to meet up for coffee?**

**Marinette:  Sure!**

 

The exclamation point seemed a bit much but Marinette had added it anyway. It was almost mechanical the way her thumb pressed _send_ as her eyes reread the brief exchange _._

“What’s wrong, Marinette?” Tikki glanced between the phone and her Chosen.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Then why don’t you seem happy?”

“I…I don’t know?” the girl read the texts again as Adrien replied with the little café he thought they should try. “Adrien is asking me for coffee. My mind is telling me it’s a date but I don’t want to, I don’t know, assume?”

“It’s just you and Adrien. It sounds like a date to me,” the kwami offering her enthusiasm before her smile weakened. “You were just talking to Chat Noir about confessing to Adrien. Now’s your chance.”

“Maybe that’s the thing, Tikki,” Marinette sighed as she wrote back on a time to meet. “Chat Noir and I just had that discussion _this morning_. It seems…a little coincidental? It’s like, when everyone tells you to wear the pink dress, you can’t help but feel pressured to wear it, and you don’t know if it’s you wanting to wear it for yourself or for others anymore.”

“No one is pressuring you into this, Marinette. We’re encouraging you to do what _you’ve_ wanted to do for years. You’ve been in love with Adrien but kept stopping yourself because you’re afraid to lose him. You’re not going to lose him. Adrien cares about you. It makes perfect sense that he would want to see you after the holiday.”

“Alya and Nino get back in a week. We could wait until they’re back for us all to go out.”

“When Alya and Nino get back, there will be a lot of travel and wedding talk,” Tikki reminded her. “I’m sure Adrien realizes that. If he wants to talk with _you_ , it should be before your best friends come back. It’s a great opportunity to see how he feels.”

The girl pulled her lower lip between her teeth idly. “What if he doesn’t like me back? How do I even tell him? What if I start to tell him and then I hit the table and the coffee spills in his lap and it’s hot because it’s coffee-”

“Marinette,” and the kwami’s tone made blue eyes snap up. “It’s going to be just fine. You’re meeting a friend for coffee, and telling him you like him. Depending on how Adrien feels, you will either leave the café with a friend or a boyfriend. Don’t worry about what could go wrong. Think about what could go _right_.”

“You’re right, Tikki,” Marinette taking a deep breath and going to her closet. Hangers slid and clicked about as she sought a cute outfit to wear. “Tikki…” the process paused. “How am I going to tell him?”

“You’ll find a way,” the red bug flew over to nuzzle Marinette’s cheek. “You handle akuma on a regular basis. You’ll think of something, I’m sure of it.”

* * *

“I gotta say,” Plagg spoke quietly as Adrien walked towards the shop, “you already seem happier.”

There wasn’t a good way to actually reply to the kwami so the boy smiled and nodded, fixing the collar of his coat and lightly petting the hidden cat in lieu of a verbal response. It was a surprise to Adrien himself, even, that he was feeling so good mere hours after deciding to move on from Ladybug, but his heart grew more certain as time ticked by that his feelings for Marinette were genuine.

The coffee shop was mostly full, a low murmur filling the air as groups of friends chatted and baristas called orders. Green eyes scanned the crowd looking for anything pink, his heart doing a little skip in anticipation. The entire thing was novel to him, the scenario a pleasant fantasy ripped straight from romantic novels and movies. It was something he had always dreamed about, to be about to meet with a maskless Ladybug. _That door has closed_ , he reminded himself. Ladybug still wasn’t interested and that was okay; he was moving on to equally wondrous things. It wasn’t too difficult to change up the fantasy, to put Marinette where Ladybug had once been.

Outside, the wind bit at what little exposed skin it could as one black haired girl wove between other pedestrians.

“You can do this!” Tikki hummed encouragingly as Marinette pretended to check her purse.

“I can do this,” Marinette whispered more to herself, nodding and smiling as she crossed the street. Despite how cold it was, snow had yet to fall which was just as well since she could wear her new boots without fear of them getting damaged. With the kwami’s help, she’d put together a great ensemble with a white blouse, cream skirt, grey textured leggings, and her new grey ankle boots. The pink wool coat she’d made was perfect for this weather. She’d nixed the hat, gloves, and scarf so it wasn’t too much. The pink coat was attention-grabbing enough given how many people she caught eying her even on the short walk. “I can do this,” she repeated as Marinette pulled open the door.

The jingle of the bell above the door caught his attention, Adrien turning and spying a petite ravenette at the same time she gave a quick scan for him. The smile was instantaneous, and he tried so very hard to commit that moment to memory. Marinette was always cute but he could tell she’d put in extra effort today. Her makeup was subtle but called attention to her eyes. Her winter coat was pink, of course, with grey lapels and two sets of large buttons. It was only natural his eye should scan down the rest of her outfit. He’d always _known_ she was cute, but now he could freely hang on that thought.

_Gorgeous_ , she couldn’t help but dreamily sigh. He’d always been gorgeous but nineteen years old Adrien was even more dream worthy, especially knowing that he’d remained so kind despite his father’s strict influence. The boy looked ready to photograph even though it was just coffee; a golden crown of hair, a sharp black coat with a familiar blue scarf wound about his neck, dark jeans on long legs, and black shoes.

“Hey, Marinette,” he called easily, shoving his hands into coat pockets so he could fidget discreetly.

It was criminal how just saying her name could get her pulse fluttering. “Good afternoon, Adrien!” There was a light blush on her face as she moved around some other patrons until she was standing just before him. “Shall we?”

Even with the heel on her boots, Marinette was still a head shorter than him, a fact which he seemed pleased by, remembering how she’d fit against him. “We shall,” the boy withdrawing one hand in order to bow and present the path ahead for her. “After you.”

“Why, thank you.”

He trailed after her, which meant he could bounce lightly on his toes without her noticing. Or so he thought.

“You’re in a good mood,” she giggled after placing their orders.

“Sorry.” _So caught_ , he smiled sheepishly as they took a little table that had luckily vacated. “It’s nice to get out of the house.”

“I wholeheartedly agree.”

“Because living in a bakery is torture?”

“No,” she laughed. “It’s just not the same without my parents, I guess? I really like having the house to myself once in a while, but it’s gotten to the point I’m missing finding flour in random places.” It was too quiet at her place, cool instead of the warmth her parents offered. Perhaps it was wrong to talk about missing them when the Agreste mansion was cold, _especially_ when Gabriel was home, but Adrien never seemed to mind the differences in their family lives.

“How horrible,” he pouted at her, which elicited a smile in return. From this close, he couldn’t help but look at her lips. There was a pink gloss there. He wondered if it was flavored. Green eyes snapped back to hers, afraid he’d been caught staring. As a precaution, Adrien moved his right hand beneath the table.

“Should I even bother to ask how the party was?” Marinette’s smile softening.

“It was _nice_.”

“ _Nice_.”

“Yeah. My father actually attended. I made the usual rounds to the necessary people and spent time with some of the company’s main models.”

“Any particular models at midnight?” She tried to ask casually but the idea of Adrien wrapped up with a gorgeous woman was a bit hard to swallow. _He’s allowed to kiss whomever he likes_ , she chided herself. _He doesn’t belong to anyone_.

“I didn’t kiss anyone at the party, if that’s what you’re asking.” Adrien congratulated himself on the wording.

The answer provided instantly relief, Marinette’s shoulders relaxing until she felt guilty over wanting him to be alone at midnight. It was wrong of her to want him all to herself when she had been so willing to kiss another boy instead. “Nothing wrong with a little kiss between friends,” the girl shrugged nonchalantly as their drinks arrived.

He couldn’t help the smirk tugging at his mouth. “No, there isn’t. How was your New Years Eve?”

“Quiet.” She wrapped her fingers about the cup and looked so happy just with the steam twirling lazily upwards. Her mind took her back to her room, to the feel of Chat’s fingers woven with her own. _Adrien_ , her mind snapped back to the present _. I’m with Adrien. I’m in love with Adrien_. “I watched a lot of fireworks. Oh, and Alya and Nino called.”

He could see the moment her eyes went distant and wondered what details kept whispering in her memory. “How are they doing?”

“Honestly, I think good? It was so loud by them that I couldn’t hear a word.”

“Still no ring?”

“Still no ring. I’m pretty sure Alya will simply scream at me over the phone when that happens.” If she knew her best friend (and she was confident she did), her phone would ring shortly after the proposal and the journalist would promptly forget proper sentence structure. “I wonder if he’s going to propose today.”

That made him chuckle, the cup rising to his lips for a small sip. “I think Nino wanted to wait until after the holidays.”

“What? Why?” two blue eyes blinking at him in confusion.

“Because it’s Alya. She’s probably caught on to him and waiting, so he’s letting the most obvious proposal choices come and go so that she’ll be truly surprised.” Not like he had been the one to suggest that after Nino was panicking about Alya possibly knowing. Adrien hid his smile behind another sip.

“Oh, that makes sense.” Glossed lips quirked to one side as she thought about that for a bit, her fingers mindlessly tapping the cup. She made eye contact and blushed as her mind made the jump to engagement for herself and Adrien. _Woah, there_ , she reigned herself in and set her cup down, _you need to ask him out first_. “So, d-did you make any wishes, or resolutions?” _Stupid, who makes wishes on New Years Eve? It’s not a shooting star!_

“I did. Didn’t you?” because he’d bet his bell she had.

His confidence seemed to freeze her in place. Tikki’s paw on her leg offered a much needed push to keep up the conversation. “What’s your resolution this year?”

“Secret.”

That earned him a couple confused blinks. “You won’t share your resolution?” _Is he…teasing me?_

“It’s more a wish, and you’re not supposed to share wishes else they won’t come true,” Adrien said matter-of-factly.

“Well, fine,” she giggled. “Then I’m not telling you mine, either.”

“Shame.” He took another sip before setting the cup down and leaning back in his seat, looking every bit the model. Adrien even gave a slight smoldering look that she nearly choked on her spit.

“Geez, even on holiday, you don’t drop the modeling, do you?”

“I can’t help that I’m this pretty,” he joked. “You look really cute today, by the way. Did you make that coat?” It didn’t hurt to flirt with her a little bit, right?

Two parts of her brain fired at the same time; one identifying with the fact that Adrien had just called her cute in a flirty manner before overheating while the other picked up the conversation lead to talk about clothes. “I-I did! I was so excited to find pink wool. It’s the first winter coat I’ve made and I really like it.”

“Do you think you’ll apply at _Gabriel_? Your style would fit in nicely with the company image.” She certainly had the talent and drive, and even interning with _Gabriel_ would be impressive on a resume.

“Maybe? I’m hoping to finish my classes first and get more of the technical aspects under my belt before I apply anywhere.” Gaining insight into how Gabriel himself treated his son had dampened her drive to apply at the company, but it was still a tempting internship.

“You’ll be an asset wherever you choose to go,” his tone encouraging.

A light blush spread over her nose and Marinette tucked some loose hair behind one ear as she smiled at the compliment. It wasn’t exactly where she’d wanted to lead the conversation but it was flattering to hear all the same.

“If you’re not going to share your new year’s resolution,” he idly thumbed the handle of his coffee cup, “was there anything you wanted to do before classes resume?”

She pursed her lips in thought. _Ask you out. No, too direct and impersonal. Kiss you? Ugh, no, way to come off as a total creep. Go on another date? Go on another date._

The simple act of pursing her lips was an unexpected weakness as the teen found out rather suddenly. Adrien’s mind stumbled down the rabbit hole of what it was like to kiss that mouth. He shifted his posture defensively. Nope, he really couldn’t sit across from her and _not_ think about it. “I’d like to enjoy the snow,” her voice pulling him back from a pink room, a chaise lounge, and a familiar scent that tickled at his memory. “Before everyone goes out and walks in it. There’s something magical about untouched snow. It’s always mushy and grey once people walk or drive in it, so yeah, I think I’d like to enjoy it at least once when it’s new.” She smiled prettily for him and Adrien couldn’t help but wonder how he’d been blind to her all this time. It was like he’d been wearing red and spotted blinders for years. “What about you?”

“I’m already doing it. I’m enjoying coffee with you.” It was almost too easy to make her blush but still fun. “Once Nino and Alya get back, I’ll hopefully get to see them before life catches up to us.”

Was he actually flirting with her or was she just hearing what she wanted to? “W-we should make a date. Of it! Of when they get back.”

“That sounds great.”

Blushing and flustered, Marinette couldn’t tell what Adrien was doing _. I’m just reading into things. This isn’t happening. He isn’t flirting with me_. A paw from Tikki pulled her thoughts again. “I-I…” _I would like another date with you. I want to date you. I like you._ “I-“

There was a sudden set to her brow that he knew well to mean when Marinette had made up her mind. The blond felt his own heart skip a bit in anticipation.

_Ping-ping-ping-ping_ came from her purse at the same time his phone buzzed in his pocket; the akuma alert chirped all through the room as people checked their phones. The ravenette finished her coffee before she said what was needed, but not what either of them wanted. “I should get home. Maman and Papa are arriving tonight.”

“Say hello to them for me,” a suitably polite expression on his face as he stood and offered a hand. Ladybug would understand if he was a touch late.

“You know you’re welcome over for dinner anytime. You can say hello yourself.” She just had to pick an evening it unlikely for Hawkmoth to attack.

“A tempting offer.” Ever the gentleman, he was sure to walk her outside to where they would naturally part ways. The sound of the akuma alert kept playing in her head but Marinette stared up at green eyes wishing there’d been more time. _Just..do it. Do something!_

 Surprise coursed through him when Marinette stood up on her toes and kissed one cheek politely. “Thanks for today!”

“You, too,” the words simple as he felt a craving for more.

The moment stretched, Adrien torn between rushing off in defense of the city and not wanting to say good bye. She seemed to be waiting until, predictably, the moment was gone and his friend was heading towards the bakery with a smile and a wave. The sigh came unbidden and the teen tore himself away from the curb to an empty alcove.

“Sorry, kid,” Plagg’s voice in his ear.

“Claws out.”

It took all she had to walk half a block, tears pricking at her eyes even as the girl sought out a darkened corner to transform. “Tikki,” her voice lacking in its usual enthusiasm, “spots on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you, it was just coffee.
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter though it was still tricky to neatly merge both perspectives back together. It should smooth out after a couple more chapters since I stopped writing the dual-POV. Anyone who read my latest chapter of A Ring For A Lady knows I actually write ahead, which helps me to edit each chapter before they're posted and allows me to update on a predictable schedule. I have a fair amount of this story done but there is still a long ways to go since there is so much character development to work with. I have this story set as monthly so I can really delve into what's going on and explore plot directions. 
> 
> Do you think Mari can finally bring herself to make a move now that an akuma has interrupted? Will Adrien spare her the struggle with his impatience? Suggestions for ways to torture our favorite characters? Had a favorite line or moment in the chapter? Please comment!


	5. Soft Serve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their coffee date is interrupted, our heroes have a serious heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that there won't be really detailed akuma fights. I'm not great at writing those and want to focus more on what Marinette and Adrien are going through. My strengths lie in drama and much less in combat. If I'm given context for fight scenes, I can manage decently, but generating the entire thing from akuma type to item to Lucky Charm is a serious challenge. I am open to ideas in the comments.

The akuma was an ice cream theme, the victim frustrated their business wasn’t doing well despite the fact (as Chat _kindly_ and _repeatedly_ stated) that it’s winter, snow or not, and people don’t usually go for ice cream when it’s cold out.

It was tempting to take her frustration out on the akuma. _They’re a victim_ , Ladybug reminded herself, but that thought came after she noticed the sharp look Chat offered the Sprinkle Queen. The heroine blinked in shock to see such a hard expression on her partner’s face; It was borderline loathing, and it took Ladybug a solid minute before she remembered how gentle he could be. _Focus! Stop thinking about him!_ A blast of peppermint nearly caught her but for a timely knockdown, which had Chat Noir neatly atop her. “Thanks,” her tongue somehow functioning while her mind wandered again. Not to say he was as close as last night - there was a polite gap between their bodies – but he was above her again before the cat was quick to his feet.

“Anytime,” his reply coupled with a simple smile. The lack of a suggestive wink or eyebrow waggle left an unexpected gap in her mind, like she’d missed a stair.

_He’s acting different_ , the thought picking at her subconscious.

“M’Lady!” He jumped in front of her, baton twirling madly to deflect an onslaught of nuts. “Are you okay?” his voice tight with effort as his arms worked to protect her.

“I’m fine.” _Get over it!_

“Great,” he bolted after the akuma again only to get his feet stuck in caramel syrup. A growl rumbled low in his throat as Chat tried to unstick himself.

The yoyo zipped around his waist before Ladybug hopped over a lamp and onto a roof for a point of leverage. She threw her weight into the tug and was rewarded with an _Oof_ and a sheepish Chat dangling from the lamp. “Y’know, I’d rather not find out what it’s like to be a piñata if that’s okay by you.”

“Really? I’m curious what kind of candy you’ve been hiding from me,” she joked back as the yoyo released.

“No candy, sadly. Just cheese.”

Ladybug gave a dramatic little sigh. “I should have known,” because Plagg no doubt demanded his pockets be stuffed with cheese. A flick of the wrist saw the cord released, Chat landing neatly as her yoyo rewound.

“Thanks. Don’t take this the wrong way, Ladybug, but you seem a little off.” He knew why he wasn’t on his usual game but it was odd for her to be distracted. The only other time he could remember her being this off her game was against Gamer 2.0 (no pun int- wait, no, pun totally intended).

Blue eyes glanced at him and they shared a brief moment. She could imagine the way his eyes gleamed in moonlight if she wanted to. _Focus, Marinette_ , her inner voice sounding an awful lot like Tikki in that instance. “Sorry,” her voice subdued.

“It’s fine. Just get your head back in the game.” Chat offered his usual carefree grin before they went in search of the akuma again.

The pair exchanged smiles and nods as the akuma found them again, boasting of how she would steal their Miraculous. “How about it this way,” she drawled out to them, “give me your Miraculous and then the two of you can have an all you can eat ice cream date. It’s _on the house!”_ the akuma screamed as rum raisin came raining down.

“Hey, Ladybug,” he’d broached the subject, face tight as he kept hearing the words _ice cream date_ repeat in his mind. “Can we talk a bit, after the fight?”

“Depends how much time we have left.” Ladybug forcibly ignored the date comment, her eyes busy watching their opponent and trying to pinpoint the akuma’s location.

“After we recharge? It’s…important,” and the tone in which he asked seemed to catch her attention, bluebell eyes turning from the akuma to her partner to see something stressful creeping into the lines of his face.

“Sure thing.” They were partners, yes, but also friends. If there was one thing true to her core, it was that Marinette was _always_ there for her friends.

The cold winds had deterred most onlookers and media coverage so it was fairly easy to slip away post Miraculous Cure, red tailing black as Paris’ heroes found a good rooftop to camp out on. It was natural for them to sit down facing away from one another as the beeping rang out the end of their transformations. He could feel the wash of magic at his back as Ladybug detransformed first, followed by the biting air when his own suit dissipated and Plagg disconnected from the ring. The kwami was quick to tuck into his coat and nibble at the offered cheese.

Tikki hovered in front of her Chosen, blue eyes fraught with concern even when Marinette offered a cookie. “Are you okay, Chat?” her voice soft.

“Yeah. Just…frustrated.”

“With what?”

“…I’ve decided to move on.”

“From what?”

“From you.”

“…Oh.” Well, this wasn’t a conversation she’d thought to prepare for.

“I just…keep thinking about what Bunnix told us all those years ago. I love you, and I always will, but I was thinking to try dating someone else.” And maybe he’d have some happiness to show for it if it weren’t for Frosty the sprinkle queen today.

Marinette’s heart wrenched. All these years and he’d been so devoted to her, waiting patiently no matter how many times she’d honestly said her heart laid elsewhere. “You know you don’t have to ask my permission, Chat.”

“I know that. It’s more… I don’t know how to do it. We’re superheroes. How are we supposed to have normal lives when Hawkmoth could send an akuma at any time?”

“It’s pretty frustrating but... It has to be possible. Other Miraculous users had normal lives. Past Ladybugs and Chat Noirs.”

“Past Ladybugs and Chat Noirs dated each other,” he half joked, half lamented.

“And others didn’t,” though Marinette wasn’t so confident in that as the words left her tongue. She looked to Tikki for confirmation but the red bug didn’t give her an answer either way. “We can have normal lives, Chat, it just takes a bit more work.”

_More work and a lot of lies_ , his mind whispered. “Have you been dating?” It was like twisting a knife in his own heart to ask, but it was necessary.

“N-no…I think…Well, I’m planning to ask out my crush.” She sounded uncertain, something he didn’t associate with Ladybug. “I’ve been in love with him for so long. I’ve been stuck in the same spot for years that, one way or another, I need to move forward. I’m hoping he likes me back, but if he doesn’t, he’ll still remain one of my friends.” Ah, that sounded more like her.

“That’s good. I’m glad to hear it,” Adrien smiled at the night. She deserved to be happy. He sincerely hoped the boy said yes. “Good luck to us, then? Two superheroes trying to enjoy normal lives?”

“Chat, did you forget my super power _is_ good luck?” she giggled up at the sky and the sound helped ease the tension.

“Well, that’s bad news for me, then, bad luck and all.”

“That’s not what I meant, Chaton.” Her back pressed against his, warmth spreading over his back from the contact. “I have more than enough good luck for both of us.”

“Think you can rub some of that off on me?” She responded by rubbing her back side to side against his. “Way to take that literally!” Marinette grinned, happy to make give him something to smile about.

Her hand moved to gently cover his, reminding herself how strong and warm he was, remembering the feel of being snuggled up with him at sunrise. It had been so nice, something she’d never known she was missing until it happened. It was something she now wanted desperately to enjoy with Adrien. It wasn’t so far a stretch to think that Chat had enjoyed the experience as well (after the shock of risking his identity wore off), that he might want to share such mornings with a girl he loved and who loved him in return. Her heart ached for him; Marinette wanted Chat to be able to enjoy those moments, too. “She must be something special, to catch your eye.”

 “She is,” and warmth filled his voice, Adrien closing his eyes to picture Marinette’s face. “I think I’ve always liked her, but it’s only recently I’ve realized just how much. She reminds me of you sometimes, _not to say I have a type or anything!_ ” the words rushing out of his mouth when he realized how his statement could be taken, “but I think you two would get along really well.”

“Maybe when this is over, I can meet her.” It would mean coming clean about New Year’s Eve, but the idea of never seeing Chat again…hurt.

“Only if you let me meet this lover boy who’s had your heart all this time.” It’d be difficult, maybe, but he owed it to Ladybug to support her happiness.

“Sure. We can have a double date.” She’d have to come clean about a lot of things like Evilstrator and Glaciator… and her panicked love confession on her balcony… and kissing him in the dark. _Ok so there’s a lot I’d have to own up to_. Tikki nuzzled close so Marinette nuzzled back.

“I’d like that. Maybe we really will have that ice cream date.” His fingers squeezed hers and she squeezed in return. Ladybug shivered at his back, a reminder of how cold it was up on the roof. “Ready to transform again?”

He felt her move away, his back chilled with the absence. “Please. Tikki, spots on!” Mute pink light spilled briefly over the tiles as he felt warm air press at him.

“Plagg, claws out!” the kwami giving him an unreadable expression before being whisked away in green light.

Chat Noir flexed his claws briefly when he was turned around, Ladybug standing up on her tip toes to hug him with everything she had _. I love you, Chat Noir_ , the words sticking in her throat. She did love him, just not romantically and worried speaking her heart would lead him on.

As if he could sense her feelings, Chat hugged her back tightly.

“Now then,” and she peeled back to smirk up at him, “go get her, Tiger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a huge proponent for telling people I love them. I tell my friends on the regular and love cuddling and holding their hands while we hang out. I could see Marinette being that way with Alya, and I'm sure she would want to develop that sort of platonic love with Chat following this conversation. Little does she know...
> 
> Shout out to Tikki and Plagg for suffering through watching the Love Square twist on itself.


	6. Fresh Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving was quite involved and is still in progress, but my computer is finally up and running. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter.

He wasn’t sure what woke him in the first place but Adrien noticed the soft clumps lazily falling on the other side of the windows. A pale light cast over his face as he unlocked his phone to type a message.

 **Adrien:** **Are you awake?** His heart was most definitely up now as he waited with baited breath.

The buzz woke her up, Marinette rubbing at her eyes as she grabbed for the little device. _Who in their right minds would send a message at such an ungodly hour?_ ‘Are you awake?’ She stared at the text from Adrien. He’d messaged her plenty of times over the years, but never without context and always during normal waking hours. _Well, I’m certainly awake now._ Blue eyes glanced at the giant cat pillow to see Tikki was still asleep, her tail fanning lightly in dream. Quietly, Marinette shifted that the light wouldn’t bother her friend.

 **Marinette:**   **I am. Is everything ok?**

**Adrien: It’s snowing!**

**Marinette: You seem pretty excited** **XD** , Marinette adding a laughing face to show it was in good humor.

**Adrien: Would you like to go for a walk with me?**

That made her pause, thumbs hovering over the keyboard.

 **Marinette** : **It’s 3:23 am?**

A slight detail, but he hoped she wouldn’t want to go back to sleep.

**Adrien: You said you liked the idea of enjoying snow before it was disturbed. Now is the perfect time.**

**Marinette: True, but where would we even go? Won’t you get in trouble?**

**Adrien: Not if I go with my driver. He’s reading downstairs.**

Marinette pulled her lower lip between her teeth. He seemed pretty excited despite the hour. Another glance confirmed the kwami was still asleep, leaving the girl to forego advice from the wizened soul.

 **Marinette:** **Ok. Where did you have in mind?**

**Adrien: There’s a park by your house.**

**Marinette: Ok. Text me when you’re outside?**

**Adrien: Will do!**

The strangeness of it had Marinette motionless as she waited for her alarm to wake her up. The phone remained undisturbed for long enough the screen shut off, plunging the room back in near-darkness. This was certainly not a scenario she’d ever fantasized about. Indecision weighed heavily on her shoulders as Marinette debated waking Tikki. _I’m not going far…_ The sheets gave a _shush_ and the ladder creaked softly as she climbed down from the bed. ‘Going for a walk with Adrien! Just at the park nearby. –M’ was scribbled on a piece of paper and placed for the little god of luck before Marinette moved quietly through the house. There was something surreal about getting dressed in the dark, but she saw to it to don thick pants, a sweater, her winter coat, and a matching set of pink hat, scarf, and gloves. Boots in hand, Marinette carefully slipped out the front door and headed down the stairs to wait.

Across town in a mansion, the boy practically threw the covers off and prodded his kwami. “Plagg, wake up.”

“Wha~” the question turned into a wide yawn with little fangs flashing in the dark. “Is there an akuma?”

“No. I’m heading out to see Marinette.”

One green eye peeled open. “As Adrien or Chat Noir?”

“Adrien,” the boy practically bursting with anticipation.

“Why do you need me, then?” and Plagg rolled over to go back to sleep.

“I…haven’t gone anywhere without you for five years.”

“There was an akuma earlier today. Low chance Hawkmoth finds someone else so soon,” the kwami unconcerned.

“Okay, I guess,” the boy stumped. Could they even be physically apart? _Of course we can_ , Adrien thought. Plagg had gone off on his own a couple times, once for Nooroo’s birthday (or whatever it was kwamis celebrated) and then aiding Ladybug when Adrien had unfortunately been glitterized by Style Queen. _It’s just a little trip, it’ll be fine._

The teen pulled his clothes on in a mild rush. _Go get her, Tiger._ One way or another, he wanted to give them a chance.

Gorilla was a bit surprised to see Adrien knocking politely on the doorframe of the den, coat and scarf in hand. One large thumb marked the page as the bodyguard gave a questioning look.

“Uh, morning? I was, uh, wondering if you could drive me somewhere? To my friend’s house? I…want to enjoy the snow with her.” Adrien sighed with relief when he was answered with an affirmative nod and hum.

The large man gently took his glasses off and pocketed them. The book was brought along as Gorilla went to fetch his coat and shoes. Anxiety kept Adrien company in the backseat of the car but he couldn’t say if it was from the idea of asking Marinette out, heading out in the middle of the night, or from being apart from Plagg. _It’s just a little trip,_ he reminded himself again. Spend some time with her, see if she asks him out, ask her out if she doesn’t, hopefully kiss her again, and then he could come home. Maybe his father would never realize he’d left. As lazy as Plagg was, the kwami was probably right in that there was time before another akuma showed up.

The streets were dark save for the lamp posts in the early morning, snow falling about them like a cascading halo. The car came to a stop across from a familiar bakery, Gorilla turning on a reading light and pulling out his book and glasses again.

 **Adrien:** **We’re outside**.

The door opened and his heart swooped when he saw Marinette in her pink coat. “Thank you. We won’t take too long.” He opened the car door and began walking towards the girl, pulling on his Chat confidence. When he realized her hair was down, the boy couldn’t help but smile. He’d rarely seen her with her hair down. She was so beautiful, dark eyes and hair offset by the pink of her outfit. _How was I so blind?_

It would be a lie to say her heart didn’t skip a beat. Adrien was wearing his nice black coat and hat again with a familiar blue scarf wound about his neck. It was almost like living in a movie, watching him cross over to her with large flakes drifting down. The boy offered a smile so bright it lit up the night and Marinette found herself smiling in return.

 “Shall we?”

“Mhm!” She peered over at the car and waved to Gorilla before falling into step by Adrien. Side by side, they entered the little park, passing the statue of Paris’ superheroes.

“My driver brought his book so we’re good to hang out for a bit.”

“Kind of funny to think of him reading. Your driver always seems so… stoic?” She couldn’t find the right word.

“Everyone has their surprises,” Adrien smiled at his own comment. What would she say if she knew they’d already made out? How would she react if she knew she’d already confessed to him?

“This was certainly a surprise,” the girl offering a shy smile; it was a good kind of surprise.

“Did I wake you?” concern slipping into Adrien’s voice.

“Yeah but it’s okay. This is really nice.” Her smile grew as one gloved hand reached out to catch some of the snowfall. A small span of silence settled over them filled only with the crunch of snow underfoot. The flakes continue their downward paths as plumes of warm breath escaped skyward. “It feels magical, when it’s quiet like this.”

Green eyes took in the falling snow, the night sky, the halo of light around a lamp, the way every branch was hugged with white. “Yeah, it does feel that way. I see why you wanted to enjoy snow like this.” And he knew he wanted to enjoy it with her.

Both teens allowed the silence to settle once more as they walked under the snowfall, two hearts reveling in the experience.

“Here,” and the boy moved to brush snow off of a bench. “After you,” and he bowed in Chat fashion out of reflex.

“Why, thank you,” Marinette unable to fight back a smile as she took up part of the seat. Blue eyes glanced shyly at her friend before focusing on the trail of prints they had created. He took up the spot beside her and enjoyed the proximity. His chest was filled with a pressure he wasn’t sure he disliked, to know that their relationship would change in some way in this park.

It was a perfect moment to say something, her mind revisiting Chat’s encouragement. “A-Adrien,” she began, glancing up to see startling green eyes. And then she didn’t know what to say.

“Yes, Marinette?” he prompted when the silence was a bit too long.

“I…I was thinking, we should be hot chocolate next time,” a different set of words fell out of her mouth. “I mean, bring! Bring hot chocolate! Hahaha…” _Kill me now._ The ravenette gave a tentative smile when he laughed.

“I like that idea,” Adrien relaxed against the bench’s back. “Next time.” _There will be a next time._ The silence began to stretch again, his mind finally figuring the anxiety for butterflies in his stomach.

Inwardly, she berated herself. This was such a movie-esque experience and she _still_ couldn’t talk straight around the blond. The little sigh was interrupted by an impromptu shiver which led to a sheepish expression when his furrowed brow all but asked aloud, ‘are you too cold?’

“If I may?” and he made as if to put an arm about her. The sheepish expression turned more bashful as Marinette nodded, scooting closer to fit comfortably against his side. Her fourteen year old self would probably spontaneously combust if she were witness to this; current day Marinette was just happy she could hold it together as he held her.

 It felt like he was whole, suddenly, to hold her like this, the experience daunting in its intensity. He didn’t want to wait anymore. _Go get her, Tiger._

“Hey, Marinette,” his voice prompting her to peer up. The ambient light made her ivory skin glow and her eyes to glitter. “I like you.” His heart opened to her, hoping to be met in kind, and it was both frightening and liberating. Green eyes glanced down to see what kind of expression she bore.

Her heart did something funny, like trip over itself. “I r-really like you, too. I think you’re amazing.” It was a miracle her tongue functioned because her thoughts were tying themselves into knots. “I’ve…actually liked you for a while.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “With your permission, may I kiss you?”

Current day Marinette might spontaneously combust regardless of how well she’d matured over five years. That she could nod was a personal achievement.

Maybe it wasn’t their first kiss, but it was their first kiss as Adrien and Marinette, and as such he made sure to savor the moment. He moved with all the grace Chat Noir offered, closing the little space slowly, not to give her a chance to change her mind as before but to be sure that it was perfect. The same thrill traced up his spine when their lips touched and then thrilled right back down when she was kissing him back. Him. Adrien. The knowledge that he was loved by someone so wondrous made him withdraw gently, smiling.

 “Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes,” the word breathless, like he had stolen the very air from her lungs.

Adrien’s smile became so bright it threatened to split his face, the boy closing the small distance to rest his forehead softly against hers. When another shiver worked its way through her frame, he knew their time outside was over and stood up. “I should probably get you back home. I can’t let my girlfriend catch a cold.” The smirk he offered was short lived as Marinette slipped, a strong hand catching at her elbow until she was secure on her feet. It was with quiet reveling of the whole experience that they headed back toward the bakery.

“Wait,” Marinette stopping him as they passed the statue. Deft hands coaxed the pink scarf from her coat and wound it neatly about the carved Chat Noir’s neck. She smiled fondly and brushed some snow from the statue’s nose.

“You’re not going to miss your scarf?” Adrien asked, but he was smiling affectionately at the gesture. Now that he saw Marinette, he was falling, faster and harder than he could have dreamed.

“I can make another.” She turned to him, blushing as she waited to continue on their way. It was adorable to watch her find her courage with him, to blush bashfully while threading her arm with his that he couldn’t help but smile. Adrien’s free hand came up to brush snow off her hair and she surprised him outright when she rose on tiptoe to kiss him. The height difference was awkward when he tried to kiss her back as she sank back to her heels. _That’ll take some work,_ Adrien grinning. Somehow, he didn’t think they’d mind that kind of work.

 “Thank you for my walk,” Adrien spoke quietly as he guided them out of the park.

“Thank you for my snow date.”

Two teens peered at each other quietly in the early morning dark, neither wanting to let the moment come to a close. “Text you in the morning?” Boyfriend he may be now, but he didn’t want to start off by rudely waking her…again.

“Yeah.” Whatever he wanted. Text, call, video call, showing up for breakfast.

“Sweet dreams, Marinette,” and Adrien pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He maintained eye contact for a bit even as he strolled backwards towards the car.

She stared after him like the lovestruck fool she was as he sauntered away, a smirk pulling at his lips and green eyes piercing her heart. _Oh, right, cold,_ her mind started up again when she realized he was waiting for her to go inside. The handle slipped through her fingers as she made to open the door but eventually she got it, creeping silently back up to and through the house and to her room. The boots were the only thing she managed to take off before she simply lay back on her chaise and stared at the ceiling. _Maybe I should stay dressed, so I remember this actually happened in the morning._ A soft smile claimed her mouth as Marinette thought, _I’ll have to thank that cat._

Once she was inside, he slid into the backseat of the car. “Thank you,” happiness filling him as Gorilla drove them back to the manor. He replayed the scene in his mind, over and over, delighting in the fact that it had happened. She was his girlfriend and he was her boyfriend. He loved the freedom Chat Noir offered him but he saw the freedom that Marinette offered, too, and he wanted it just as much.


	7. The Happy Couple

_Beep beep beep_ , the teen groaned as one hand felt about the desk to hit the snooze on his phone. Memories of the night before resurfaced and Adrien smiled into his pillow. Turning onto his side, the teen gently wrapped an arm about the sleeping kwami and reveled in simply being happy. _Marinette is my girlfriend_ , the thought filling him with warmth. Little snippets of last night replayed through his mind but the breathless _yes_ she’d offered was his favorite bit.

The little cat stretched and yawned before curling up against his hand.

“Good morning, Plagg.”

There were some low mumblings before one of the whiskers flicked and glowing green eyes peeked open. “Did she ask?”

The teen grinned bright enough to rival the sun. “She said yes.”

 _Beep beep beep_ and this time, he did focus enough to actually turn it off.

“Wait, she said yes?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to letting her ask?” Plagg flitted up close to his face

“She confessed, so I asked her.” He may have confessed first, but she still technically admitted her feelings before he asked her out.

“What is this, you find out a girl likes you and you can’t help yourself? You weren’t like this with Kagami.”

“I didn’t like Kagami the way she liked me. She’s incredible but I didn’t see her as more than a friend.”

The little cat _stared_ at him for a bit, black tail flicking with some kind of internal debate, before he went to find his breakfast. “Alright then.” A wedge of cheese disappeared promptly. “So you’re officially with the baker?”

“Do _not_ think this means you get to engorge yourself,” Adrien cautioned.

“Why not? This is perfect! Marinette will give you goodies as Adrien, and then Chat Noir can give her kitten eyes for more treats.”

“We are not going to double dip for pastries.”

“Your loss. It not like being Chat Noir isn’t keeping you in shape anyway.” Plagg stood on the desk with a paw on either hip. “And did you forget, kwami are aware of what’s happening when we’re transformed?” A little detail Adrien was reminded of whenever Chat Noir did something stupid. “I deserve some kind of compensation for your make out.”

Adrien narrowed his eyes in response. The thought of Plagg experiencing that with him was not a comfortable one. “Fine. Chat Noir can visit her. _Once_. After that, it’s best if Marinette stops feeding a stray cat.”

“What, afraid you won’t be able to keep from kissing her? Never mind, scratch that. I’d rather not be involved again.” The kwami gave a disgusted face and went to console himself with another chunk of cheese.

“Thank you.” He clicked his phone open. 7:46am. “Do you think she’s awake yet?”

“How should I know?”

His mouth quirked a bit as he debated texting her now. If she was still asleep, should he risk waking her? He set another alarm for 8:30am. Hopefully that was late enough. He didn’t get that far.

The little screen lit up with an incoming call complete with an image of himself and Nino. His thumb tapped the green icon while Plagg zipped out of view.

“Morning, Nino!”

“Dude! She said yes!” the screen filled with a close up of just one of Nino’s eyes.

“About time,” Adrien smiled. “Now you can stop acting like the government is spying on you.”

“No, dude, seriously, do you _know_ how stressful it is to carry around something that expensive and small and _not drop any hints whatsoever to a figurative bloodhound?”_  There was a manic seriousness to Nino’s eyes and brows now.

Adrien made it a point to hum thoughtfully. “No, can’t say I do.” _Hm, probably best to wait to tell them._

“Well, believe me, it’s crazy.”

“Stop hogging the phone,” he heard from somewhere near Nino. The phone was obviously passed as his view went from Nino’s close up to Alya’s more reasonably distanced face. “Hey, Sunshine! Thank you so much for helping him!”

“My pleasure. Congratulations,” Adrien chuckling as the couple squabbled over the phone.

“Dude, seriously, gimme back my phone!” The screen stopped shaking as Nino regained possession.

“Did you two call Marinette yet?”

“She wasn’t- oh, she’s calling Alya right now,” which was promptly followed by shrieking that may or may not have been, _I’M ENGAGED!_ “Ah, my brother’s finally calling back. See you when we get back?”

“Sounds like a date,” Adrien grinned. _And make that a double._

* * *

 _“I’M ENGAGED!”_ the words making an uncomfortable shrill through the phone’s speaker. Still, this was the call Marinette had been waiting for and as such she took in every detail with grace. She grinned at her best friend’s face. “Congratulations, future Mrs. Lahiff.”

“We’ll see. Still unsure if I’m taking his name or not,” the brunette grinned back.

“No matter what you pick you’ll be happy, which is what counts.”

“You know it,” Alya beamed even as her eyes glanced off screen to where Nino must be.

“How did he ask?”

She got a _tsk tsk_ and a shaken finger in reply. “I’ll give you the deets in person. Stories need to be told properly. We’re heading to the airport soon anyway so…” and then Alya trailed off. “Marinette.”

“Yes?”

“You just woke up, right?”

“Uh…yeah?”

“Care to tell me why you’re dressed for the outdoors?” sharp hazel eyes no doubt having caught the lapels of the coat. The hat, thankfully, seemed to have slipped off some time in the night.

“What? No! I’m not….” But even with angling the phone just right she knew it was too late. “I’m in my coat,” Marinette sighed.

“And you slept in your awesome pink coat why?”

“Because I love it?”

“Marinette,” Alya sighed with a loving smile. “If you have taught me anything about fashion, it’s that you take care of your favorites like not sleeping in specially dyed pink wool coats. Seriously, you could have come up with a better lie than that like your heat went out.”

 _Damn, that is a better lie_. “It snowed last night so…I, uh, went out for a short walk and just went straight to bed.”

“See, was that so wait, what? It snowed?”

“Yes?”

“Dang it. Nino, it snowed. We need to unpack our coats.”

Nino’s muffled voice filtered through the speaker before Alya gave a sigh. “We gotta go. Cab is supposed to be here any second. Love you, girl.”

“Love you, too.”

Alya winked before the connection closed. A deep sigh escaped as Marinette flopped back onto the chaise. “Sometimes, I wish my best friend wasn’t so sharp. It’s a miracle she hasn’t realized I’m Ladybug.”

Tikki just giggled as she came out from the pillows. “It’s good to be surrounded by sharp minds.”

“I suppose.” Her hand fished around for last night’s hat, dragging it onto her chest as blue eyes stared up at the ceiling.

“Even I’m surprised you slept in your coat,” the kwami well aware of how much Marinette adored the item.

“I wanted to know.”

“Know what, Marinette?”

“That it wasn’t a dream,” the girl smiled and her voice softened. “Adrien asked me out.”

“Congratulations, Marinette,” the kwami coming forward to hug her Chosen.

One hand gently came up to hug the ladybug back as her entire body filled with warmth. “He likes me. He even _kissed_ me. Adrien kissed me. I can’t wait to- _oh no_ ,” and the girl abruptly sat up, Tikki sent tumbling forward.

“Marinette, what’s wrong?” confusion written all over Tikki’s little face.

“I can’t tell Alya. I mean, I can, and I _will_. Eventually. But not yet, not right away.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Tikki, Alya just got _engaged_. I can’t just say Adrien asked me out.” The girl was instantly reaching for her phone again before staring at the inbox screen. “It’s a social faux pas. We should be focusing on them, not making it about us.”

“I don’t think Alya will mind. She’s your best friend.”

“Maybe, and she is, but…I want her to be happy.” Quickly, Marinette’s fingers danced over the screen, tapping out a message for Adrien.

**Marinette: Good morning! Did Alya and Nino call you yet? I was thinking to wait to tell them. Give them some time to celebrate their engagement. If that’s okay?**

“She wants you to be happy, too.”

“I know that,” the girl smiling as three little dots indicated Adrien was writing back.

**Adrien: Good morning, Marinette. Sounds like a plan :)**

A dopey smile began to spread over her face again. _Adrien is my boyfriend._ “I’ll tell Alya after she gets to gush about her engagement.”

* * *

If there was one thing that was universal amongst women, it was the way they became entranced by their left hand immediately after a shiny rock had been added to it. Alya was no exception, hazel eyes darting down as she subtly angled her hand this way and that to catch the light. Nino had one arm wrapped about his fiancé while he sipped his coffee with the other. “Maybe this is weird of me, but I missed French coffee.”

“Why’s that weird?”

“Because it’s basically the same,” he replied, the next sip interrupted from a small jab in his ribs.

“That’s because you have no taste,” Alya snarked. “The coffee was good depending where we went.”

“No taste? _No taste?_ How dare you say that,” Nino playfully rising to the bait.

“Ok, ok, I yield. You have _some_ taste,” and Alya wiggled her fingers for her own entertainment.

“So how did you ask?” Adrien trying to keep from watching the door for their missing ravenette.

“There was this little café-“

“Wait for Marinette to be here!” Alya jabbing him lightly again.

“Well, she’s late,” Nino pouted.

“She’s not _late_. She’s just on Marinette-time.”

Nino rolled his eyes and silently mouthed to Adrien, _Late_.

As if on cue, the door opened with a storm of, “I’m here! I’m here!” and the girl practically slipped her way towards them. It was instinctual for Adrien to reach out and steady her before disaster could strike. “Thanks,” Marinette sheepishly looking at him before Alya grabbed her in a bear hug.

“Missed you, girl,” the brunette making it clear where she stood on the pecking order.

“Welcome back and congratulations!” the girl hugging back fiercely before moving on to hug Nino across the table. She paused when she realized she had yet to greet Adrien and he could see it writ in the lines of her face, the want for something more than a hug. They had agreed via text and he would forever be a man of his word _._ He simply pulled her into a hug like they’d done countless times before.

The chair to his left was withdrawn as he offered it to her, the girl blushing faintly as she took the seat. “Now that Marinette is here, can we get the story now?” Adrien all silk and smile as he passed a preordered hot chocolate to his (secret) girlfriend.

“Alright!” Nino pumping a fist excitedly. “So while we were in Venice, we found this sweet café and Alya really liked it, so I decided it would be perfect for a second visit. We took a gondola there and sat down to enjoy the local food before I _suavely_ ,” and Adrien saw Alya briefly roll her eyes, “told her that I didn’t want the adventure to end.”

“He then couldn’t find the ring in his pocket and was somewhere between standing and down on one knee while the entire café was unsure if they should clap or provide a distraction,” Alya supplied matter-of-factly, the tilt to her mouth suggesting she found this to be critical information.

“Dude,” and the look on his face was one of utter betrayal. It was all Adrien could do not to snicker loudly and Marinette was struggling to recover from the escaped snort by sampling her drink.

“It was sweet and special and definitely a surprise,” Alya slid one hand into her fiancée’s and kissed him sweetly.

“And then she said yes,” Nino’s voice suddenly lovestruck.

“And I want to thank both of you for helping him because I’m sure you were both somehow involved,” Alya turning back to their best friends.

“My pleasure,” Adrien tipping an imaginary hat.

“It was really hard to keep it a secret,” Marinette admitted. “I had a lot of fun helping Nino decide on the ring.”

“High marks there,” and Alya eyed her left hand again. The ring was a deep topaz surrounded by little white diamonds. Adrien wondered to himself why Nino had gone with this one of the few he’d seen but the bride-to-be was elated with it which was really all that mattered, and it had been a reasonable price so Nino was happy.

While it wasn’t as traditional as most engagement rings, Marinette had been keen on it, innocently suggesting to Nino it reminded her of a fox. Nino had been convinced following that conversation and Mari had a strong suspicion he might want an emerald for his own ring.

“On that note,” Alya alluded dramatically as she pulled out some boxes, passing one under the table to Nino. “It should go without saying but, formalities and all that.”

“Will you be my best man?” Nino was asking Adrien at the same time Marinette simply squealed, “YES!” to Alya.

Adrien made a show of trying to get hearing back in the ear closest to the girls. “Sorry, Nino, you might have to repeat that. It got really loud all of a sudden.” He just smiled brightly as Marinette pouted at him.

“Will you be my best man?” Nino grinned as he asked again.

“Where’s my ring?” he decided to be cheeky.

“Got you something better,” the DJ passing over the box while Marinette received hers, too.

“Venice is known for its masks and, well, it was hard to pass these up.” Adrien withdrew a mask from his box. It was simple cat themed mask in a uniform black but designs alternating in matte and gloss provided plenty of interest.

Marinette’s fingers held an asymmetrical red mask with black accents. It felt too close, even years after the Frighteningale akuma. _If I put this on, could Alya figure me out?_

When they glanced up, Alya was displaying two others on the table: a beautiful burnt umber mask with white and black lines and another deep green that seemed almost plated. “We found the green one first, and the shop was _amazing_ ,” the brunette carried on with full enthusiasm. Adrien carefully schooled his features to match the mood. “Finding the masks was the best part of Venice, proposal aside. We grabbed some for my sisters and Chris, too.”

“These are lovely,” Marinette’s voice was soft as she kept staring at her mask. “Thank you, Alya, Nino.”

“We idly toyed with the idea of a masquerade wedding but it’d be complicated.”

“Why didn’t you take the red one?” Adrien asked. It was clearly reminiscent of Ladybug and Alya was her number one fan (aside from himself).

“I’d already fallen in love with the orange one,” her fingers caressing it softly, “and besides, I gotta take care of my girl here.”

“It just felt right to get those two for you,” Nino supplied as he put the green one away. “Like, there were a lot of pink ones but they didn’t scream Marinette, y’know? And we thought you’d like a Ladybug mask.”

“Shame,” green eyes glancing down at his gifted mask again. “I’m a huge Ladybug fan.”

With a tiny smile and a blush, Marinette neatly swapped the red mask for the black one in his hands. “That works. I’m partial to Chat Noir anyway.” The look on her face when she said it made him blush and if it weren’t for a pinch in his ribs, Adrien might have tried to kiss her.

“Hm, you two did pick those masks for Nightingale’s music video,” Alya visibly thinking back with a finger tapping her lower lip. “Regardless, enjoy! We might not do a full masked wedding but I think I’d still like some photos with them.”

“Whatever the bride and groom wish is our command,” Adrien offered, feeling much more at ease with a red mask in hand.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense if you two wore the Ladybug and Chat Noir masks?”

“Initially, I thought so, too. The thing is, much as I’ve been hoping, Ladybug and Chat Noir never seemed to become a couple.” The reporter packed her mask away. “We also really liked these masks.”

“Have you talked any wedding details yet?” the ravenette guiding conversation away from the gifts.

“We’re thinking to maybe wait a couple years. We’re in no rush,” Nino finding his coffee again. “Even cold this coffee is still better.”

Alya simply rolled her eyes. “I think it’d be best to plan things gradually. Mom will obviously help us with the catering, your parents are a definite for dessert, and Nino has a friend for music since he can’t DJ our own wedding. The when and where, we’ll figure that stuff out at some point.”

“If you want a dress from me, I’m going to need at least a year’s notice,” Marinette fidgeting. “Between classes and stuff, I want to make sure I can really get all the details in.”

“Don’t worry, I got ideas there already, too. And the fact that you’re _making_ it is your gift, Marinette, so don’t even think about buying anything.”

“Girl is cray cray,” Nino stage whispered to Adrien.

“You two can have a boys’ day while we do our thing,” Alya offered matter-of-factly before yawning. “Sorry, jet lagged.”

“How long do you have before you’re back to work?” Marinette sipping her cocoa. Under the table, Adrien shifted that his foot was touching hers and he enjoyed the little smile she gave behind the cup.

“Only a day,” Alya whined. “I have so much to do. Need to finish unpacking and start going through photos and videos so I can actually tell you about the rest of the trip.”

“We’ll see them again, Alya,” Nino patting her shoulder. “They live here, too.”

“But they’re so busy!”

“Says the woman who’s doing a blog and two jobs on top of classes.”

“Ok, first,” and she raised one manicured finger, “one job is part of my class, so you can’t count that one, and two, the Ladyblog is mostly only when there’s been an akuma and those are down to like every other week.”

“Fine, fine!” Nino holding up his hands in surrender.

“Were there any akumas while we were gone?” hazel eyes rounding on the ravenette.

“Just one, I think? Something ice cream related.”

“It wasn’t very big,” Adrien downplaying the sprinklefest that was Paris.

“Oh. Maybe someone submitted some photos or videos to the blog.” Alya pulled out her phone to check before Nino firmly placed it back in her pocket.

“Check after we leave. We had a rule the entire trip to keep the phones to a minimum,” he informed them.  “Less chance someone would blow the surprise.”

“Smart.” Adrien wondered if he could get away with reaching for Marinette’s hand but she kept her attention solely on their friends.

Nino checked his watch. “We’re gonna have to split. Supposed to meet up with the ‘rents for dinner and we should probably clean up first.”

“Same time next week?” Chairs squeaked as all four stood up and made for the door.

“Of course,” Adrien holding the door for each of them and holding Marinette’s gaze for an extra moment. Cold air bit at exposed skin and grey slush replaced what had previously been white snow.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, after you’ve slept,” Marinette promised as she hugged the couple good bye.

They watched as Nino and Alya began heading up the street before he decided to be cheeky. “So when do we tell them?”

“Next time?” Two blue eyes turned up to him. “I wanted today to be all about them.”

A nod of his golden head offered his agreement to the sentiment. “Plans for the rest of the day?” the boy angling himself to be closer.

“I’m…open to suggestions?” Blue eyes were locked on green as time slowed.

“I have one,” and he leaned close, heart speeding to triple time as Marinette caught on easily and rose on tiptoe to kiss him. She broke away with a cringe when a distinctive shriek filled the street. “So caught,” Adrien laughed as time snapped back to its usual pace.

“She’s coming back, isn’t she?” Marinette didn’t even have to look.

“Yep.” He didn’t, either, though green eyes flicked up to see their impending doom.

“Can we run?”

“Afraid not.” The blond stood to his full height and simply waited.

She peered over one shoulder to see Alya flying back with Nino in tow. “ _What_ was that!” the brunette demanding loudly to the scornful looks of other pedestrians.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Adrien offered innocently.

“You two,” and Alya’s eyes were wild as she glanced between them. Even Nino looked baffled. “ _You two!?_ ”

“Us two?”

 “When did you become a thing?” Nino pointedly staring now.

“Oh, uh, recently?” Marinette withered under their scrutiny.

“New Years Eve?” and Nino made a suggestion with his eyebrows.

Adrien scratched at his chin idly as his girlfriend tried to hide behind him. “More like a day ago…? Two?” It was tricky with the early morning hours and time difference but Adrien knew it to be the same day Nino proposed.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” and the girl in question clutched at the back of his coat for protection. “Why didn’t you say anything!”

“We love you and wanted to focus on you?”

“Don’t try to sweet talk out of this one.”

“I was going to tell you later!”

“Babe, we’re gonna be late.”

“…. _Fine_. But I’m kidnapping her later,” and Alya offered such a Look that Marinette knew she was Doomed. “You can deal with Sunshine.”

* * *

Even with the grey of winter and their brush with Cesaire styled death, her heart was still on cloud nine as they strolled along the Seine with her hand on his arm.

“How mad do you think Alya is?”

“At you?” Adrien peered down at her. “Not.”

“Not?” she blinked back at him. “But, you saw her.”

“I did, but I also know she tends to have over the top reactions. We shocked them, is all. Once that wears off, I’m sure Alya will be back to normal. I don’t think anyone can really stay mad at you.”

Marinette hummed softly. “I’d rather not test that.” There’d been enough akuma as a result of her words or actions that it was probably fair to say she was human just like the rest of them.

“Why do you think she’d be upset?”

“Because she, well, Alya has been…” She took a deep breath. He liked her and they were a couple now so honesty was the best policy, right? “Alya’s been trying to get me to confess to you for years now and she’d only recently backed off because I told her to?” Honesty didn’t need to be full honesty, what with nearly giving up on him entirely. Silence spanned several breaths before the ravenette peered up.

It didn’t surprise him given how fiercely the brunette loved her friends. _Of course_ Alya would encourage her best friend to pursue a crush, and of course Alya would respect boundaries when told to. “Well, what’s done is done. Alya had good intentions but in the end it was always your choice. I’m glad that you finally told me.” He smiled gently down at her and Marinette couldn’t help but tuck herself tighter to his side in response.

“So why did you select that ring for Alya?”

“Oh, well, Nino was showing me a lot of rings and after a point they all just started to look the same. I think Alya would want something unique and the cut and color just seemed right.” Nothing about how it reminded her of Trixx. Nope. Not one bit.

He seemed to mull that over. “Yeah, I could see her wanting something a little different.”

“You don’t like it,” her tone faltering.

“I don’t have an opinion on it, actually. My opinion doesn’t matter on this anyway, either. Alya loves it and Alya loves my best friend and that’s all that I need.”

That made her lips turn up with a smile. “That’s all I need, too.”

He glanced about and hummed in thought. “Here’s good.”

“What?” but she was already being guided up onto a curb.

“Helps the height difference,” the words low enough to make her heart skip. Gloved hands gently brushed inky strands away from her face as he leaned in. The first kiss short circuited her brain, the second stole her breath. By the third she remembered to breathe and by the fourth she remembered how to thread her arms about his neck. The sixth saw her melting into him and thinking she could die happy.

“I don’t think I will ever get tired of kissing you.” Fingers were smoothing back her hair as he held her close. “You make me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.”

Words. Use words, Marinette. “I’m good luck. I mean! I feel pretty lucky, too.”

He just chuckled at her blunder. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.” Marinette felt her cheeks warm at that.

“I-I would say the same, but I’m not sure I’ve seen you flustered.”

“I’m sure you will,” and something about the look in his eyes made her breath hitch.

“I hope it’s…a good kind of flustered.”

As swiftly as the mood had come, Adrien neatly leaned back and offered his arm again. “Are you free later this week for dinner and a movie?”

“I think I’m free Friday.”

“Friday,” he echoed her. A glance at his watch before he pulled out his phone. “I should probably get home. Can I offer you a lift?”

“It’s not too out of the way for your driver?”

“Not at all.”

The Gorilla wasn’t long in fetching them, the couple sitting quietly in the backseat holding hands as the car wound its way to the bakery. Ever the gentleman, Adrien got out of the car with her, squeezing her hands gently. “Thank you for today.”

“Are you going to thank me every time we hang out now?” Marinette laughed.

“Yes,” the answer simple as he leaned down to kiss her once more, lashes fluttering closed naturally. “I’ll text you later,” and she couldn’t stop the grin from blooming over her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love me some Cesaire attitude. I've said before in A Ring For A Lady that I adore Alya. It's always so fun to channel her into a scene. Do you have a favorite character to channel?
> 
> I admit, I know nothing about coffee. I also don't know if wedding culture is different in the EU so apologies if there are inconsistencies. Feel free to comment on French cultural norms if you know any.
> 
> As always, thanks for kudos and comments. Let me know your favorite bits!


	8. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all fun and games until the BFF's turn Good Cop, Bad Cop.

The hum of the machine filled the room as Tikki took each pin from the fabric and replaced it in the tomato-shaped pincushion as the sewing needle worked. There was a desk somewhere beneath all of the fabric, Marinette was sure, but she hadn’t seen it much lately. Her hands stilled as memory took her back along the Seine. _Here’s good._

“Marinette?”

“What?”

“You’re spacing again,” the kwami giggled and perched atop the sewing machine.

“I didn’t mean to. Just,” and Marinette smiled, “I kissed Adrien.” Repeatedly. Each one had been better than the last.

Tikki got a playful smile and flew to boop her Chosen’s nose. “If you’re going to be like this every time you two have a date now you’ll never finish this dress.”

“I can’t imagine ever getting tired of kissing him,” she blushed and fidgeted.

“Silly Marinette, you’re not going to get tired of kissing him. You’ll just get more comfortable.”

“But I’m already comfortable with him.”

“What I mean is, you won’t be shy with him forever.”

“Probably not.” There would come a time when kissing would be more casual, and there could be a time where it was more than just kissing. The room suddenly felt warm, Marinette pushing the swathes of fabric out from her lap. “Or maybe I’ll find other things to be shy about.”

“Probably,” Tikki flitting about the fabric briefly to be sure all the pins were still where they needed to be. “He’s your first boyfriend and you’re his first girlfriend so Adrien will probably be shy, too.”

“First and hopefully only,” the teen sighed dreamily. “I keep falling in love with him. Did you hear him at the café earlier? He’s a huge Ladybug fan. He loves both sides of me.”

“That’s easy,” the kwami giggled again, “you’re amazing as both Marinette and Ladybug.”

The sappy smile slowly faded. “I’ll have to be extra careful as Ladybug now. To protect Adrien. I’d never forgive myself if he got hurt, or if I hurt him.”

“I don’t think you have to worry.”

“I hope you’re right.”

A familiar tune began to play out from somewhere beneath all of the fabric and triggered a frenzy. “Gah! Where is it?” The girl dove through the pile trying to locate her phone. The kwami simply shook her head fondly before dragging the incomplete garment off to one side. “Aha! Alya! Alya?” Marinette’s thumb managed to tap the icon in time for a familiar face to come up on the screen.

“Girl, are you okay?” the reporter giving a quizzical look.

“What, me? Oh yeah, yes, I’m fine. Just couldn’t find my phone because of the dress. I mean, not _the_ dress, but a dress. I don’t even know what you _want_ for the dress so how could I possibly start it already?”

Two brown brows pulled together in a look of intense deliberation. “Marinette, what are you working on?”

“It’s a, uh, a petticoat?” the girl smiling awkwardly.

“A petticoat for…?”

“A petticoat to go under a dress.”

“What dress?”

“A dress I haven’t made yet.”

“Uh huh,” and Alya gave a narrow eyed smirk that said she totally knew what dress it was for. “Haven’t even given you the deets and you’re already working.”

“Ugh, fine. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time.”

“You know it’s impossible to keep a secret from me, right?”

“Still going to try,” _and still going to keep one in particular from you_.

“I appreciate the thought,” Alya said good naturedly.

“How was dinner with the parents?”

“Divine. Mom pulled out all the stops, but no surprise there.”

The ravenette sat back in her chair and smiled. “Of course not.”

“Speaking of surprises,” and the tone alone told Marinette she was in a hot seat. “So you and Adrien?”

“Me and Adrien,” Marinette blushed furiously. She hadn’t even told her parents yet.

A toothy smile filled the screen. “Now _that’s_ what I call a surprise. What happened, and don’t you dare leave any details out!”

“W-well, uh, I decided that I still really like him and if I was going to, uh, try to move on from Adrien that I, y’know, didn’t really have anything to lose.”

“You were going to move on?” Hazel eyes blinked at her curiously. Guess that was another surprise for the reporter. “Is there someone else you were thinking to date?”

“No, I was just thinking things over New Years Eve. I’d kind of backed myself into a corner by turning down other guys when I wouldn’t confess to him so…I decided it was time to tell him. The worst that could have happened is we stayed friends.”

“But you’re not just friends, right? He likes you back. So _how did it happen?”_

“We, uh, went for a walk in the snow and then we cuddled on a bench where he said he liked me, so I told him I liked him, too, and then he asked to kiss me and be his girlfriend.” A smile took over her face as memory took the girl back to a dark morning and large white flakes.

“Wait. He confessed first?”

“Yes.”

“But I thought you decided to confess to him.”

“I did. Just, he did, first.”

“I thought he liked someone else. Gotta get Nino on this,” the brunette making a mental note out loud.

“Maybe he did. Maybe he still does. There’s no rule that says you can’t like more than one person.”

That seemed to appease Alya some. “That makes sense. So when were you planning on telling me?”

“Not the first day back,” Marinette wilted in her seat. “Adrien and I agreed we wanted to focus on the two of you. With the engagement and the trip, you deserved the spotlight.”

“Marinette,” Alya filling her name with fond exasperation, “the spotlight is big enough to share. I have been hoping for you two to get together since the beginning. I thought you would have known I’d want to hear about this the moment it happened!”

“The moment it happened was kind of a really weird hour so I wasn’t even sure I was awake.”

“What time was it?”

“Three? Four in the morning?”

“Marinette!” Alya’s brows shooting up as she received yet another surprise. “What were you doing out with Adrien at four in the morning!”

“I told you! We were walking in the snow.”

“Girl, that is _not_ what normal people do at four a.m.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not really something I’d planned on, either.”

“That definitely explains why you slept in your coat.” Alya smiled at the way Marinette squirmed in her seat. “I’m happy for you,” the brunette finally relenting. "I don’t know what happened to make him finally realize how great you are but I’m not one to argue results.”

“Thanks?”

“I adore Adrien but that boy has a habit of being dense. Honestly, there were several times I’d tried to drop hints but he never caught on.”

“Alya!” the ravenette horrified. “Why would you do that!”

“Because you were always coming up with some excuse or just not saying anything at all. It’s tiring. But,” and she held up a placating hand, “he never actually learned anything from me. That boy did it on his own.”

A sigh parted from rosy lips. “Yeah. What’s done is done,” she quoted Adrien from earlier. “I’m happy,” and Marinette pulled her knees up to hug them. “It feels like a dream. I’m scared to wake up.”

“I can tell you, you’re awake and I will pinch you the next time I see you to convince you.”

* * *

“Alright, bro. I need the facts.”

“Wow, not even a hello,” Adrien grinning at his phone.

“No time for that. This is serious.”

“Do _you_ want to know or is Alya putting you up to this?” It was not out of the realm of possibility the reporter was there threatening Nino’s life off camera.

“Both. Not that I’m complaining but I thought you were in love with someone else.”

“Well,” and Adrien scratched the back of his neck. “I think I’ve always kind of liked Marinette. It’s just grown over time.” He’d always love Ladybug but he’d seen another light now, and it was warm and pink and smelled of sugar.

“Adrien, dude,” and caution was written all over Nino’s face. “You don’t ask someone out because you just _kind of_ like them. I mean, Alya and I have been wanting you two to get together for ages but, like, you’re _my_ best friend and Marinette is Alya’s best friend, and I can tell you hands down I don’t know if I’d be able to save you if you hurt Marinette. If things work out, it’s all picture perfect, but if things don’t work out… _Disaster_.”

“Relax, Nino. I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t really like her. No matter what happens, Marinette and I will always be friends. Neither of us would put you in a bad spot if we can help it.” The idea of not being with Marinette now was daunting, his heart aching for that completeness he’d felt in the park and again by the Seine. He knew, however, that there would always be a risk tied to the Ring on his finger.

Brown eyes scrutinized through the little screen. “Alright. Congrats from us, by the way. Alya wouldn’t stop talking about it until I made her promise not to mention anything to the fam.”

“Thanks,” Adrien grateful the sisters weren’t in the loop. Ella and Etta could easily throw something on social media and Nora would probably come challenge him to be sure he was worthy of Marinette.

“How’d your pops take it?”

“What?”

“Your old man? Daddy-o? How’d he take the news you’re officially dating someone and not just what the tabloids speculate.”

“Oh, I, uh, haven’t told him yet.”

There was another appraising look from Nino. “I don’t know where your rebellious streak came from, but it’s about damn time.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean that you usually always toe the line really closely. The most we ever got out of you was sneaking off on a school trip without Pop’s permission. We’re legal adults now. It’s about damn time you did something for yourself without asking him if it’s okay.”

“I guess so,” because what else could Adrien say? It wasn’t flattering but Nino’s assessment was on the mark.

“You gonna be okay if he says no?”

“Yeah,” and Chat’s smirk flashed over his face. “I’m not backing down on this.” And he’d flex his claws if he had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give a heads up that I might not have the next chapter ready for a bit. The holidays are looking to be extra busy for me this year and I'm starting to build cosplays in preparation for an event in February (crossing my fingers to have -two- Miraculous cosplays) so the next two months will be tight time-wise. I have thoughts in mind for the update but I would rather not rush it and give you something mediocre. After February I'll be back on track. Depending on how things are I may even update HaHC more than once a month!
> 
> Thanks for reading. Please comment on your favorite bits. Did a moment make you smile? A line make you laugh? Let me know!


	9. Parental Awareness

“You’ve outdone yourself once again,” Tom smiling even as he ate dinner.

“I had excellent help,” Sabine beaming back affectionately.

Marinette couldn’t help but watch in awe. Her parents were just so…so good! Always helping each other, being gracious, in sync. They were a superhero team all their own even if Marinette was the only one to see it. Dinner with Alya’s family was just as warm if a bit louder what with three sisters and a gruff father, but it was fun and welcoming all the same. She’d never had dinner with the Lahiffs but expected it to be about the same raucousness with Nino and Chris’s dynamic. The fork paused in her mouth as the next logical thought was, what was dinner like with the Agrestes _? Quiet, cold, necessity_ , her mind supplied sullenly _. Maybe I can change that. I_ will _change that_. Adrien deserved to be happy and now she had the ability more than ever to be there for him.

Sabine went to refill the potatoes on her husband’s plate without him needing to ask at all.

“Hey, Maman, Papa.” Marinette set the fork down as she glanced between them.

“Yes, sweetie?” Tom paused in picking up the green beans.

“I, uh, wanted to let you know I might not be home for dinner this Friday. I have a date.” A blush settled over her face as she smiled shyly at her parents.

“That’s wonderful.”

“WHO IS IT?” her father leaning forwards with excitement written all over his face.

She couldn’t help but flinch back at the sudden enthusiasm. “A-Adrien.”

“ADRIEN!” Tom bellowed, one palm slapping the table loudly to the clatter of everything on it. “I knew it. I KNEW IT.”

“We’re happy for you, dear,” Sabine offering a much more normal response.

“Does Adrien want to have dinner here!?”

“Uh, I think we were going to go to a restaurant but eventually, yes?”

“What your father is trying to say,” and Sabine gently placed a hand on her husband’s arm, “is that Adrien is welcome over anytime.”

Tom seemed to reel in his enthusiasm.

“Thanks Maman.”

“OH, OH, are you going to get a hamster!?”

* * *

“No.”

It had been the reaction he expected, sadly, but he wasn’t backing down on this. “I wasn’t asking, Father.”

 The curt response seemed to catch Gabriel’s attention as the corner of his lip pulled up in a sneer.

“You’re too young to date.”

 _And yet you tried to set me up with Kagami and Lila for years,_ but he swallowed the words down. “I’m almost twenty, the same age you met Mother.”

“You are likely to be beguiled by someone not so much interested in you as your name, money, or both.”

“Marinette isn’t like that,” her name slipping out and Adrien sorely wished he could pull the words back in.

“Marinette,” and something of the way Gabriel shaped her name rankled Adrien’s skin at the same time he became fearful for his now-girlfriend.

 _In for a penny, in for a pound._  “Yes, Marinette. My friend and the girl who won all but one of your competitions, and she’d been a close runner up in the one she lost.”

“Her success in novice competitions-“

“In _your_ competitions,” the teen interrupted his father, “which is no easy feat.”

“Is that supposed to impress me?” Gabriel’s expression rife with disdain.

“It doesn’t have to,” Adrien straightening his back. “It impresses me.”

“If you think that your _friend_ will have a place in my company then you are a bigger fool than I thought.”

“If things become serious,” and he hoped they became serious, “and Marinette has a place in _our_ company, I might just consider staying.” His blood rushed in his own ears as those words hung between father and son.

Ice blue eyes were leveled at him and Adrien wondered if his father was some kind of lizard that never blinked. “Dating requires a lot of time. A girlfriend could negatively impact your work and school schedules.”

“I’ve become proficient with my time management.”

“I doubt that. Nathalie has been the one keeping you to your schedule.”

Adrien forced himself to swallow; his fists had clenched and he made it a point to unfurl them. “Nathalie and I plan my schedule together. I assure you, I can plan accordingly.”

There was a wisp of foggy breath as if the air in the room had plummeted. Perhaps Adrien simply imagined it. “See to it that you do.”

* * *

“I can’t believe you used your trump card already,” Plagg whisked out of his hiding spot as soon as the teen was safely in their room.

“Me, either.” Adrien dragged a hand down his hair as he slumped into his desk chair. _I shouldn't have told him._ It was two heartbeats before he pounded the desk with his fist, scaring the kwami into fumbling the wedge of cheese. “Sorry.”

“You okay?” the cat giving him a concerned expression even as he cradled the camembert.

“I’m…not.” He sighed, “I’m scared I screwed things up. Already. Some boyfriend I am.”

“What, because you stood up to your dad?”

“No, because now my father can threaten her to manipulate me.” He wouldn’t put it past Gabriel Agreste to use some nefarious scheme to get what he wanted.

“You really think he’d do that?”

“You don’t?”

Plagg gave a twist of his mouth in response.

In his imagination, Adrien saw them both on puppet strings dancing to whatever music his father played. His father could easily act against one to manage the other and Adrien saw no way to truly fight the possibility. “She’s going to regret dating me.”

“Are we talking about the same Marinette? The girl has been in love with you for years and well aware what your dad is like. Give her more credit.”

Green eyes flicked to the kwami in surprise. “That’s…oddly encouraging from you.”

“She isn’t as flappable as you might think.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Oh, I, uh, was thinking of how well she took to learning about kwami and all that.”

Adrien thought that over for a second before nodding. “Yeah, she did take that rather well.” Then he glanced over at the kwami and gave a light smile. “She probably has treats for Chat Noir.” Plagg’s green eyes were bright with excitement as he floated in front of his chosen, the words poised in the curve of his little mouth. “We can go later tonight.”

“YES!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Managed to work on this story a bit despite taking a step back (thanks, food poisoning). It's paltry compared to the other chapters but there wasn't much to develop in these scenes. The good news is the next chapter is polished which means I can stay on track while working and building cosplay.


	10. Chat Goes Fishing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back from a lovely weekend at Katsucon! If anyone else was there, I hope you had an equally lovely time. I made it a point to take pictures of all of the ML cosplayers I saw. The first Chat Noir I spoke with casually remarked how he hoped to find a Marinette to take pictures with his Adrien, which was convenient since I brought that cosplay along. We sadly didn't get any good photos together but it was a delight to walk around and talk ML. I ended up wearing my Marinette Friday evening and Saturday morning and received a lot of compliments and photo requests, and ended her use with the ML photoshoot. It was a fun group complete with a Queen Bee, a few Formal Ladybugs, a Plagg, Nathaniel, Lukas, Alyas, a Mister Bug, a couple Lady Noires, and a HAWKMOTH (complete with Miracle Box) in addition to the Adriens, Chats, LBs, and Marinettes. Oh, and someone brought a laser pointer :3 Late Saturday night was my Rave!bug cosplay and I did a night photo session; it was ironic that the rave security wouldn't let me in with my poi but sleep was a nice alternative. My best friends voted and I will be creating an Insta to share my pictures after I get those back. Once that's up, I'll include information with the next chapter and on my AO3 profile.

If it weren’t for the Miraculous, he was pretty sure his nose would have smashed into the sidewalk below or the side of a building several times over. As it was, Chat Noir was able to vault over a frozen Paris as easily as if it were summer, working a steady path to the balcony of one raven-haired princess. It looked barren with everything taken inside but just being there filled him with warmth. _Alright, Agreste, keep the dumb smile off your face and don’t make a pass,_ he reminded himself. Cracking his knuckles, the hero approached the window and…scratched and yowled at it.

“What the _hell!”_ enhanced hearing picked up the disgruntlement from inside. His grin was met with a very irked Marinette Dupain-Cheng. “Chat Noir,” her tone threatening. _Is it wrong of me to think that tone is sexy?_

“Good evening, Marinette,” he grinned at her. “Got any treats for your favorite Chat?”

“Oh my G- _just get inside!”_ She didn’t really give him a chance as Chat Noir found himself being bodily hauled through the door by his scarf. “My parents or my neighbors could have heard you! Are you crazy?”

“You’re the one who took in a stray.”

She climbed down the ladder with a scowl. “That is no excuse for you to be making such horrible noises at night. Or ever.”

“Just singing the song of my people.”

“You’re incorrigible.” The ravenette face-palmed.

“It was that or I start quoting Shakespeare. Perhaps I’ll be your Romeo next time,” Chat throwing a wink for good measure. “See if maybe I could win the lady’s favor, convince you to elope with me.”

A well aimed flick at his nose sent the hero leaning away and soothing the offended skin. “This lady’s favor has already been won by another.”

“Oh?” The stupid smile stretched across his face regardless of pain. “Did you ask him out?”

“Well, no, I, uh,” and she floundered so adorably as green eyes attempted to memorize how she looked. The blush was a wildfire on her face and down her neck to which each freckle stood out in stark contrast. “We, uh, we went to the park and I was going to, but he actually confessed to me first so I was able to confess, too.”

“I told you, you wouldn’t lose him,” his tone honeyed. “Congratulations, Marinette.”

“Th-thank you.” Her hands rubbed at her neck as if that would get rid of the color. Blue eyes flicked up with a demure smile and he found himself leaning closer when his tail snapped him back to attention. “Are you accessorizing now, Chat Noir?” the blush finally abating as she recognized the fabric tied about his neck.

“It’s the darnedest thing,” Chat began dramatically, one hand holding up the scarf’s edge for inspection. “I went through the park and saw this lovely scarf on my statue. It’s almost as if someone _purr-posefully_ left it for me.”

“Maybe someone likes you,” Marinette teased.

“Alas, the lady’s favor is already won.”

“How do you know I left it?”

“I have a hunch,” he purred, green eyes glittering down at her. “Also, I think I’d recognize a Dupain-Cheng original anywhere.” His claws neatly flipped up the edge of the scarf where her name was carefully embroidered.

“Fine, you caught me.” She moved to her desk chair and swiveled around to face him. “I wanted to thank you for encouraging me. Also, the pink goes really well with the suit.”

“I thought so, too.” He slid down the ladder and sat casually on the floor, tailtip slowly bouncing. “Care to tell me about him?”

“Since when are you a gossipmonger?”

“Since now.” Fishing for info on himself did seem a bit gauche but it also seemed a logical inquiry for one Chat-Noir-Who-Was-Definitely-Not-Adrien-Agreste.

“Well,” the girl hummed. Her toes pushed her idly back and forth and the little smile that took over her whole body was enough to give him warm fuzzy feelings. “You probably know of him. Adrien Agreste. He’s one of the main models for _Gabriel_ so he’s in a lot of adverts around the city. He’s been one of my friends for several years now, and he’s so kind and smart, works super hard at everything he does. Just, an amazing person, through and through.” _Do not kiss her_ , the thought flashed through his head and he couldn’t say if it was his own or if Plagg was panicked enough to break some kind of barrier to speak directly to him.

“I’m happy you’re happy.”

“What about you?” She had finally taken the plunge to move forward with Adrien, but Chat deserved to love, too.

“What about me?”

“You said…you said you were trying to move on from Ladybug? Is that still how you feel?”

The hero gave a slow, firm nod of his golden head. “Ladybug has been in love with someone else since I’ve known her. As much as I’m in love with her, I want her to be happy, even if that’s not with me.” Green eyes met blue ones and his heart gave a flutter at the sadness he saw there. “I’m seeing someone else now.”

“So soon? I mean! That’s not bad thing, it just seems like we spoke, uh, just a few days ago.”

“It does seem that way, doesn’t it,” because she’d been on his mind since New Year’s Eve. “It’s not someone totally new,” Chat confessed. “There’s no rule that says you can’t like more than one person at a time.”

“True,” Marinette hummed. A tilt of her head, the ink-black pigtails falling with the movement. “I suppose I can’t ask about her?” Vague notions of his significant other shouldn’t be enough to compromise his identity but Paris was only so large.

“Afraid so,” his mouth quirking at the corners. “Much as we’re friends, you should know as little about me as _pawsible_ for your own safety.”

“Makes sense,” the girl nodding and resuming her little twists with the chair. “I’m glad you’re seeing someone.”

“Why? So someone gets to enjoy my puns?”

“I hope you realize that puns are like the ultimate turn-off.”

“Blasphemy.”

“Seriously.”

“You just haven’t heard the right pun.”

“I’ve heard enough.”

“Doubt it.”

“Try me,” and her eyes narrowed at him. Fiesty Marinette was a force to be reckoned with. The tail snapped him again.

“It’s difficult to come up with one on the fly,” Chat writing her challenge off.

“Lies.” She lifted her nose up ever so slightly. “You come up with puns off the cuff all the time with Ladybug.”

“How do you know that? Is Alya’s microphone really that sensitive?”

“Maybe.” _Or I suffer them first hand._

“Well, I’ll let you in on a secret. I spend all fight thinking of them.” He also browsed the internet for puns on his downtime.

“Oh, I see,” her voice taking on a theatrical tone. “A man of many talents, to fight _and_ joke at the same time.”

“It works!”

“And if you didn’t joke around?”

“The fights would be a lot less fun.”

The girl shook her head. _Such a dork._ “Give me a minute,” and she stood up from the chair, padding quietly to the door and down the stairs. She returned a few minutes later with one of the bakery’s bags and it would be a lie if Chat didn’t sit up excitedly. “For you and Plagg to share,” Marinette’s tone firm. “There are some cheesy ones for him, and some sweets for you. I’m…assuming you like sweet over savory?”

“I like anything made by your parents,” the boy enthusiastically taking the bag from her and fishing out a croissant.

There was momentary surprise before her features softened. Of course he’d have tried their bakery; it was well known on this side of Paris. Why had the idea of an unmasked Chat Noir strolling on in to buy something never dawn on her before? “If I’d known you like their croissants that much, I’d have grabbed a few more.”

“This is perfect,” though the words were slightly muffled around the bite in his mouth.

“Do I need to remind you to share with Plagg?”

Green eyes locked on blue and he swallowed hard. “No. He’d probably complain every chance he gets if I eat them all.” She nodded as if satisfied by his answer. “He wants to come back here all the time to beg you for treats but I scolded him for being a glutton.”

“You’re not going to fit in your suit if you keep coming over for bakery leftovers.”

“Is that a challenge, Princess?”

“No, it’s a fact,” the girl flashing a smirk at him.

“I’ll have you know, I have the benefit of both a magical suit and being able to run over rooftops, so everything you see is all me,” Chat Noir motioning from the toned chest to the defined legs. It was when he saw Marinette go beet red that he reconsidered just how the statement could be taken. “So you, uh, don’t need to worry about my suit not fitting.”

“I’m just…not…nope, not saying anything,” the girl averting her gaze to a picture of Adrien before she decided she couldn’t look there either. She had literally made out with the hero one time and she had just started dating the model so it was entirely inappropriate to start thinking about either of them without clothes. _Bad Marinette, bad._

To know she was trying very hard not to think about him physically couldn’t help but put the idea in his mind of a ravenette in a similar fashion. _Snap!_ Both teens jumped when the belt tail hit him.

“I should probably run home so Plagg can get his pastries.” He got to his feet after carefully assessing that he didn’t have any awkward reactions to hide. He’d never had that problem while transformed before – didn’t even know if it was possible – but it didn’t hurt to check. “Thank you again for the treats.”

“You’re welcome.” She managed to look at him, blue eyes flicking down briefly before she adamantly locked gazes with him. A thrill traveled down his spine at the idea of her checking him out. “Say hi to Plagg for me.”

“You really shouldn’t be so nice to him,” Chat hovering within arm’s length. “He’s pretty spoiled.”

“Oh really?”

He moved closer and sensed her still, the tension in her frame dissolving only after he’d planted a chaste kiss to her cheek. “Really. He’ll keep pestering you if he knows you’ll feed him. Or rather, he’ll keep pestering me to pester you.” _And it’s really best if you stop seeing Chat Noir._

“Ah,” the girl blushing. _It was just a kiss on the cheek, get yourself together!_ “Is it so wrong to spoil him?”

“Probably. Good night, Marinette, and thanks again,” Chat already climbing up to the door.

“Good night, Chat Noir,” her voice soft.

The trek home was uneventful, allowing his mind to wonder after what his girlfriend had been thinking in those last moments. His bedroom was exactly as he’d left it, the hero removing the scarf and releasing Plagg as he held a cheese pastry up in sacrifice to the tiny black cat. The kwami wasted little time in devouring it before offering a happy sigh. “I love your girlfriend,” Plagg physically climbing into the pastry bag.

He simply put the whole bag - kwami included - on his desk. “I’m glad you like her but you have to lay off the pastries,” Adrien closing the window and adjusting the thermostat. “Marinette can’t spend too much time with both Adrien and Chat Noir.”

The paper bag rustled as the kwami made himself comfortable. “If she hasn’t figured you out by now, I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” the words garbled around a mouthful of something.

“I still need to be careful.”

The rustling paused as one green eye peered around the edge of the bag. “You better get pastries as Adrien, then.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“Listen, I only get so many opportunities to enjoy stuff like this once every couple hundred years, so I’m going to make the most of our time together.”

The teen paused in picking up the pink scarf. “You’re right, Plagg,” and he moved to set Chat Noir’s scarf with the blue one he typically wore as Adrien. “Sometimes I forget how old you are. I’ll be sure to save some for you.” He moved to sit by the pastry bag as it was methodically emptied. Plagg would be with him for his lifetime, theoretically, and then what? Lay dormant for however long until another Chat Noir was needed? The little cat came out of the bag holding a croissant out to him. “Thanks, Plagg,” but Adrien just hugged the cat instead.

“…I’m not very good at this emotional stuff. That’s more Tikki’s thing, but you’re the best Chat Noir I’ve had and I’m happy you’re my Chosen.”

“I’m happy you’re my kwami, too.” The croissant was placed in his hand as the kwami dove back in the bag. Gentle words came back. _Is it so wrong to spoil him?_


	11. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a saying: Man plans, and God laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a head-canon that, as the characters mature, their time limit extends.
> 
> Real life note: I hope everyone is doing well while we work through the COVID-19 issue. Please remember to be kind and understanding during this time as everyone has their own issues to cope with. A lot of our regular life is being disrupted with ever-developing information and that scares a lot of people, especially those of us who are or have high-risk family and friends. I will try to keep to schedule and post next month amidst adjustments in my routines.
> 
> Be an Everyday Ladybug with kindness and strength.  
> Be an Everyday Chat Noir with supporting others.  
> Be an Everyday Rena Rouge with following information from experts and medical professionals.  
> Be an Everyday Carapace and protect others with good hygiene practices and minimizing social outings.

“I’m boring you, aren’t I?”

“No! It’s just,” Marinette floundered, “it’s not really something I get? But if you like the Crabs Cycle-“

“Krebs cycle,” he laughed into the phone.

“-then that’s what matters. I like hearing you talk about your classes, even if I don’t get it.”

Adrien grinned even though she couldn’t see him, the call strictly audio as they worked on respective projects. Nino didn’t care to listen to science speak, as the DJ called it, so it was extra nice that his girlfriend at least tried to follow the topics. “Does tomorrow still work for you?”

“Yes! Anywhere you had in mind?”

“ Is _Le Grand Paris_ acceptable to you? Chloe is still in New York so she can’t cause any trouble.”

“Sounds good,” Marinette breathing a sigh of relief. She wasn’t sure she needed the blonde getting in her face or trying something to sabotage their date.

“Great. And I promise, I’ll keep the science speak to a minimum.”

“You don’t have to do that,” the girl giving a small laugh. Adrien sounded so happy when he talked about school she didn’t have the heart to tell him no. “Just don’t expect me to remember anything.”

“I know. You and biochemistry aren’t friends.”

“ _Biology_ and I aren’t friends. Biochemistry and I have _never met_.”

That got Adrien to laugh, Marinette’s heart fluttering at the sound. “Alright, no pop quizzes with dessert.”

* * *

Her face hurt from smiling yet she couldn’t help it. Everything was perfect as far as she was concerned. The sky was as blue as it could be for a January day, the weather mild enough for a tea length dress under the pink coat, and her hair and makeup had gone smoothly for someone not well practiced in the art of cosmetology.

Her boots gave a satisfactory clicking along the pavement as she went. This was their first _official_ date since Alya kept insisting that the park counted as their first _actual_ date. Not that it mattered – Marinette was happy for any and every kind of date with Adrien.

Across town, Adrien’s leg bounced in the backseat of the car, his driver taking the standard route to the hotel. The week had gone smoothly between classes and work, Nathalie even expediting a driving class for him at the teen’s insistence. She had been relenting when Adrien hinted at wanting privacy on dates; she may not be his mother but Nathalie had a soft spot for him and the teen was not above exploiting that fact.

 _Beep beep beep_.

The bouncing of his leg came to a stop as his smile lost its sincerity. Gorilla turned his head slightly as if to ask as Adrien pulled out his phone.

“It’s a little ways away,” his voice soft as reality began to sink in. The akuma was pretty much next door to _Le Grand Paris_. “Keep driving. Ladybug and Chat Noir will probably take care of it soon enough.” He saw the car go to make an unusual turn. “To the hotel, still. Please.” Adrien sensed more than saw the disgruntlement with which his driver acquiesced, switching lanes and continuing on as if nothing had happened. “Thank you.”

Green eyes flicked down as he gave a silent sigh and the corners of his mouth pulled downward. There was a tiny squeeze from his coat pocket as Plagg offered his condolences. After a moment’s hesitation, one finger tapped open his text messages.

* * *

 _Beep beep beep_.

And just like that, a perfect day was ruined. The girl sighed as she pulled out the phone. ”Just my luck.” She shut her eyes against the saddening realization that she’d have to miss the date. Maybe if she could deal with the akuma quickly…?

Her phone pinged again with a new text message.

**Adrien: I might need to raincheck…Sudden bout of indigestion**

Well, that certainly saved her from having to lie about running late _. This is not the kind of luck I want, universe._

**Marinette: Oh no! Let me know when you’re feeling better**

**Adrien: Will do. Sorry :(**

With the date taken care of, Marinette sighed and put her phone back in the purse. _Now to find somewhere to transform_. Blue eyes glanced up and saw the sudden swarm of pedestrians, some of them in bold colors and acting…off. A couple in bright red was in an all out brawl. One green-clad woman was hoarding so many objects they were spilling from her arms even as she grabbed yet new items. Another woman was wailing dramatically, her clothes a uniform blue. Marinette darted through the throngs, weaving among the panicked crowd in search of a quiet spot but none were ever truly safe enough. Screams nearby told her that the heart of the chaos wasn’t far behind, the girl darting into an alleyway in the hopes it was deserted.

“You have such lovely black hair.” Marinette whipped around to see the akuma. It looked like a toddler based on her height and full butterfly-marked cheeks, the akumatization altering her appearance to be something akin to a goth Rainbow Brite. In her hands was a giant pen with various colors along the butt. “You get to be _special_. I’ll give you black,” the akuma clicking the back of the pen. The tip of the pen retracted with a mechanical sound, the blue being replaced with a solid black.

Black, a color children used for negative things.

Darkness.

Loneliness.

Fear.

Death.

Blood thrumming in her ears and eyes locked on target, Marinette steadied herself and swung her purse as the pen fired. The jet of ink hit the brick wall off to one side as the akuma shouted in anger.

Black held another meaning for Marinette: _Noir_.

A blur of black was all she needed to feel relief, Marinette watching the world melt away as she was whisked over rooftops at top speed. Even when they’d stopped moving, tucked up in a corner of a rooftop, Chat Noir held her protectively and Marinette could breathe with ease.

He couldn’t tell which one of them was trembling as he crouched there. _She’s okay. She’s okay. She’s okay._ His throat felt like it was choking him, his heart having lodged itself there and suffocating him at the image of Marinette – beautiful, sweet Marinette – squaring off with an akuma.

“Thanks, Chat Noir,” her hand coming up to gently rub his shoulder.

He finally managed to swallow his heart back down and dragged a breath inwards. “Please be careful, Marinette,” the words ragged on the way out. He peeled himself away to look at her, to check her over, and the boy nearly cried to see the smile on her face. One hand moved to tuck loose hair behind her ear and the sight of black claws reminded Adrien he was currently the hero, not the boyfriend. “Leave the fighting to the heroes. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me…let me set you down on street level.”

She said nothing as he jumped off of the roof to the sidewalk below. “If you’ll excuse me,” and Chat bowed in his typical fashion to hide his anxiety.

“Good luck, Chat Noir.”

She watched as he bound away, the staff vaulting him back the way they’d come.

“Are you okay, Marinette?” Tikki’s small face peeking out from the purse.

“He was shaking,” her smile fading as she lost sight of her partner.

“You gave us a scare.”

“I’m sorry, Tikki.” What would have happened if the ink had touched the purse? The girl seethed in retrospect. She could have injured the kwami with such reckless action. “I didn’t expect to be cornered as a civilian.”

“We were lucky Chat Noir was close by. Please be careful. We don’t know what the black ink will do.”

“Yeah.” _What’s done is done. We’re okay_ , she coached herself. _Move forward_. “Ready?”

“Let’s go help Chat Noir.”

“Tikki, spots on!”

A blur of red zipped up onto the roof, Ladybug sprinting easily with pigtails trailing behind her. The cityscape was splattered with various colors to effect, the heroine stopping to wonder at the car that was on fire for being red and the building groaning as green acid ate away at the brick.

“There you are,” Chat Noir coming up beside her devoid of his usual charms. His stance was dominating with his weight set forward and eyes narrowed though she saw clenched fists that shook at his sides. “If it’s all the same to you, Ladybug, I’d like to take the lead on this one.”

“Oh, okay,” the words fumbled in the face of his seriousness. _He really is shaken up._

“Lucky Charm, please,” a clawed hand extending palm up.

“So soon? We don’t even know-“

“It’s in the pen. I want to get this over quickly.” The hero seemed to remember himself and softened his tone. “Please. If this takes longer than ten minutes, you can go recharge and take over.”

She nodded once, tossing the yoyo up in a shower of light. “Lucky charm!” White and red motes of light coalesced into a metal tankard, the mug falling heavily into her waiting palms. “Uh…”

“Got it,” Chat taking the object readily and racing off.

“Chat!” but he was already to the eye of the storm. “When did that cat get so damned fast,” she bit out as she raced after him, the world forgotten as Ladybug honed in on two black figures.

“Look who finally decided to come out to play,” the akuma grinning maniacally as green ink jetted out towards the hero.

“Amateur,” Chat avoiding the acid neatly as he bounded closer with baton in hand.

“Careful of black – we don’t know what it does!” Ladybug called out. The akuma’s head jerked up at her voice allowing for Chat Noir to close the gap, the baton extending as he swung and sent the akuma spiraling backwards.

“Funny you should mention that,” the girl getting up with a theatrical dusting of her skirt before her hand slid to the back of her weapon. Mechanical clicking pierced the air as the green tip retracted and the black slid into place. “It’s just the color I was thinking for _both of you_.”

“Think faster.” Chat’s staff swung again, the akuma dodging in time for him. The cat merely smirked. “Too slow.”

The akuma glanced up to see Ladybug’s feet swinging towards her butterfly marked face. The heroine allowed momentum to carry her up and onto a fire escape as their opponent scrambled to her feet with the pen brandished like a musket.

“I. Hate. Bugs,” black ink jettisoning after the heroine. Widening her stance, Ladybug snapped her yoyo free and began to spin a shield even as her earrings chimed their warning. Globs of ink spattered around her and began to smoke wherever it landed.

“I bet you _love_ cats.” The ink ceased as Chat turned up the offensive, dueling the akuma further and further down the street, his staff a makeshift sword and the tankard firmly clasped in his left hand.

 _Chat!_ Her mind screamed as Ladybug watched with fear as the akuma regained her footing. There was nothing nearby for a yoyo to latch onto, forcing Ladybug to attempt to close the distance on foot. The pen snapped towards him, their opponent grinning as she aimed another jet of ink directly at his face.

The hero didn’t flinch, his left arm shooting out to fit the tankard over the tip of the pen. Black ink gushed and smoldered on the pavement as he dropped his baton to free his other hand. “Cataclysm,” his right hand closing over the shaft of the pen. The item disintegrated as a purple mist bubbled off of a confused little girl who blinked up from the street to see one stoic hero staring down at her.

The air was pierced by a loud _snap_ as the yoyo snatched the escaping butterfly. The usual words failed to come forth as Ladybug clicked the compact open, blue eyes watching the small white insect flutter away.

“Here.”

“What?” Ladybug glancing down in time to see Chat Noir near her, handing back the lucky charm.

“Do your thing.”

 _I know I’m having a bad day (and it had started off so well!) but seems like he’s having a worse one..._ “Miraculous Ladybug!” her voice ringing out as she threw the tankard high. The wonder of the magical ladybugs bursting forth to set the city to right was lacking as the heroes both lamented their day. “Chat Noir?” Ladybug called to him.

Metal scraped along pavement as he picked up the discarded baton, fitting it easily to the small of his back. “Yeah?”

“…Good job today,” because what else could she say? He had saved her as a civilian and had also defeated the akuma almost singlehandedly in record time.

“Thanks. And thanks for letting me take lead.” The burning energy was finally dissipating from his limbs, Chat’s hand steady now. The akuma was a victim, he knew, but it felt like he and Ladybug were also victims in this now as normal lives seemed a pipe dream.

“Do you need to talk?” she asked even as her earrings pinged again. _Just a little longer, Tikki,_ she pleaded.

“You’re out of time,” his ring giving the first indication when he was pretty sure her earrings were giving their last. His fist rose up for her. “Perhaps another time, Bug. I'll see to the little girl.”

That was more the Chat she knew. Maybe he was already working through what he needed. Ladybug’s fist came up for the fist bump before she cast the yoyo high. “Bug, out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve seen many fanfictions pitch Adrien as interested in physics. Since I was late to this fandom, I have no idea if that’s a canon fact from Astruc/ZAG but I wanted to toss something a little different into the mix. I have LONG since forgotten anything about biochemistry but it felt like a good topic since Adrien is book-smart and I could see him being motivated by medicine since he thinks his mother died to a non-magical illness. The lines about ‘(basic subject) and I aren’t friends, (more advanced subject) and I have never met’ is a legit statement my brother made when I was telling him about calculus. 
> 
> The Lucky Charm concept is also taken from real life. I have done medieval recreation for over a decade now. A small tournament I watched years back was 'Death From A Hat' where you drew a card and it dictated your weapon style. One was a rock (a foam block, which only wins as a headshot) and a plastic tankard. My husband hilariously drew this weapon style. He won by sliding the tankard over his opponent's spear and running up with the rock. Needless to say, we were all duly impressed and laughing.


	12. Chicken Soup for the Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PSA at the start of the chapter regarding Covid-19 and pets!
> 
> Chapter summary: Sometimes, it's the smallest gestures that mean the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a touch rushed because I wanted to share a PSA. 
> 
> With all of the covid-19 information that’s being thrown at us, there is limited information regarding our pets during this time. I am a certified veterinary technician (CVT). The information available about how covid-19 affects animals is not as prevalent as that towards people but this is what I’ve come across so far:
> 
> Dogs: One dog (17yr Pomeranian) tested weak-positive for covid-19 and later negative; it never displayed symptoms. This dog has since passed away due to either age or some other health condition. A second dog was later a true positive but still showed no symptoms. No other dogs have tested positive. It is unclear if dogs can actually be affected by this virus.
> 
> Cats: A cat in Belgium tested positive after it displayed symptoms. The details and controls around this case are not confirmed though so the AVMA can't rely on this data. Several large cats at an American zoo have been showing signs; one tiger was checked and tested positive. I heard there was a small study in China suggesting cats can pass it to each other but it is not mentioned by the AVMA.
> 
> Ferrets: They are suggested to also be susceptible to covid-19.
> 
> Birds, Rodents, Reptiles, Horses, and Livestock: No information I’m aware of.
> 
> So what does this mean for us pet owners? Pretty much a whole lot of We Don’t Know For Sure and Be Proactively Cautious but this is what I am is telling people:
> 
> Can my pet get it from me? Assume yes though take comfort that a lot of animals have been tested and only the handful listed above have been positive.
> 
> Can my pet get it from another animal? We don’t know. We recommend that household pets are included with social distancing so no puppy play dates and don’t let them out in the yard when your neighbor’s dog is out. If you have an outdoor cat, please consider keeping them indoors or at least limiting them to your property with a harness/catio.
> 
> Can my pet give it to me? The AVMA has seen no evidence to suggest this but recommends caution regardless. Please wash your hands after handling your pet, and always before you eat anything.
> 
> If someone with covid-19 touches my pet and then I handle my pet, can I get it? Unlikely but possible; fur could act as a fomite but it’s not an ideal surface since it moves.
> 
> My pet needs to go to the vet, what should I do? Call your vet and tell them whether anyone in the household is sick. Many of us are trying to stay open and switching to curbside service. Please be understanding of any procedures they ask of you (staying in your car, limiting to one person per appointment (euthanasias likely exceptions), paying via phone, etc). We are trying to minimize all risks possible so that we can be there for your animals.
> 
> If I/someone in my house is sick, what should I do? If you or someone in your household is affected, do not let them handle any pets. If you cannot avoid handling your pets, be diligent in washing your hands/no kisses/covering your mouth/etc and minimize your interactions as best you are able. Do not send your pets to someone else for care.
> 
> Is there a veterinary test for covid-19? Yes. Based on the data we have now, most pets don't need to be tested. Testing for other common maladies should come before requesting to have a specific animal checked for covid-19.
> 
> I will update this Note as I learn more up to date information.
> 
> Right now, I’m doing okay but I admit the anxiety is starting to keep me up at night. I’m grateful that I can keep working. My clinic is being diligent throughout this crisis with daily meetings and adjustments to protect our clients, patients, and ourselves. That said, it’s difficult to maintain 6 feet of distance in this field and we are having trouble getting PPE since human hospitals are priority. I’m scared of bringing covid-19 into my home to my husband, baby, and cat. I’m scared for when veterinary staff will be called in to human hospitals because the MD/RN/RT and other frontline workforces have been depleted. I’m scared of the possibility I will have to truly isolate myself from my own family to protect them, like so many medical professionals have done so already. Mostly, I’m scared for the frontline survivors who will struggle with their mental health when this is, “over,” suffering guilt over those they couldn’t save and the team members they lost along the way. 
> 
> Please, stay inside. Don’t go out unless you absolutely have to and, even then, keep it as brief as you can.
> 
> We are all in this together. Good days will come, I’m sure of it. We just have to be diligent for right now.
> 
> I will try to keep writing as per usual but I admit I have absolutely nothing of the next chapter done beyond concepts, and I am zealously cuddling my baby.

**Marinette: How are you feeling?**

**Adrien: Much better now. Sorry I had to cancel on you**

**Marinette: Don’t worry about it!**

**Marinette: Actually, I was wondering… Did you have any plans tonight?**

**Adrien: Just studying. Why?**

**Marinette: Would you like some soup?**

Adrien tilted his head at that. Soup?

 **Adrien: Is that an offer?** He typed it with humor and hoped she would read it that way.

**Marinette: Yes**

Those three letters read more confidently than Marinette felt. Had they been talking, _yes_ would have been picked up at the end with uncertainty and coupled with a wince.

 **Adrien: What kind of** but he erased his next message as three little dots appeared on the screen again.

**Marinette: May I come in?**

He nearly threw the phone in his haste to get up, Plagg waking up with a confused noise and bleary expression as Adrien bolted for the door.

“She’s here!” Adrien offering a whisper-shout as he skid along the floor. It was past dinner; the house was dark and Nathalie and the Gorilla had retired to their rooms for the evening which meant that no one was watching the camera. The boy practically collided into the security panel next to the door. He’d never slammed a button harder, as if that would make the front gate open any faster. Blood was thundering in his ears but even that was dull compared to the gentle knocks on the front door. Her fist was still poised in the air when Adrien pulled the door open, green eyes taking in the way her lips were parted in surprise and steam rose with her breath.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” she blinked wide blue eyes at him.

“Please, come in,” the boy gaining his bearings and motioning for her to join him.

Marinette gave a pretty smile, pushing hair away from her face with a gloved hand as she stepped inside. “Thank you.”

Even after he shut the door, Adrien just…stared. Never had he had someone just _show up_ for him. Okay, Nino and the Lycee boys had technically come to his house for a secret guys’ day but that was four years and some change ago. It was still novel, his world tilting on its axis to truly feel that he was _noticed_. The small action screamed brazenly _Marinette cares_ and Adrien didn’t know how to appropriately react to such a declaration.

Why he was standing awkwardly, she wasn’t sure, but Marinette’s smile turned shy as she offered up the little bag. “I brought soup?”

“Soup! Right!” and he jumped back to life, motioning for her to come upstairs.

“You…don’t want to eat downstairs?” Marinette looking vaguely hesitant as she spared a glance to the darkened dining hall.

“Everyone is in their rooms for the night so…yeah?” The dining room had become a focal point for disappointments and discomfiture over the years; it was not somewhere he wanted Marinette to spend her time.

“Right,” the ravenette nodding her head and removing her shoes to leave them neatly by the door. She offered a warm smile when she was done and the two climbed the stairs in silence. She’d been in his room a handful of times over the years as both Ladybug and Marinette but this was the first as something other than a friend or hero; the knowledge that she was now something _else_ made her pause at the door.

“Here,” Adrien extending a hand for her winter attire.

“Oh, thank you,” Marinette blushing as she untied the scarf and began undoing the buttons of her coat.

The makeup, he saw, was gone but her hair was still loosely styled from earlier in the way the strands arced gently around her face. He was so caught up in simply looking at her that his heart jolted upon glancing in the closet to see his scarf – _Chat’s_ scarf – within sight. “You look lovely!” his voice slightly higher as he shoved the pink article into one of his other coats, praying to whatever gods or kwamis were listening that she wouldn’t notice as he hung up her coat.

“Thank you.” She smiled and then, for lack of something else to say, bit her lip. How exactly did this work now that they were a couple? Could she stroll into his room like she belonged? Should she even be in his room? A nudge from Tikki encouraged her and Marinette took a few cautious steps towards the couch. “I brought chicken and rice soup. Family tradition when you’re not feeling great,” the girl producing a thermos from the bag and offering it to him. “It’s supposed to be easy on the stomach.”

“Thank you,” the words earnest as reality was finally clicking into place. Marinette had brought him soup because he’d cancelled their date. She’d believed his lie. _Don’t go down that path_ , he cautioned himself, aware it would do nothing but fester doubts. He moved to sit on the couch and motioned for her to join him. “Sorry I had to cancel our date earlier.” He undid the lid of the thermos and a savory aroma began to curl upwards and tickle his appetite.

“You said that before. There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Marinette sitting down with a polite gap between them. “I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”

“Did you make this for me?” he asked as he looked at the soup.

“My maman did,” Marinette admitted with a nervous laugh. Freshly dating and her mom was already trying to take care of him. “She was worried about you.”

Well, that certainly wasn’t what he expected. Guilt began to rear its head in earnest though now it was tinged with something he hadn’t felt in years: a mother’s love. A smile pulled at his mouth even before he tested the soup. Flavor, rich and smooth, coated his tongue and Adrien nearly moaned in delight, his guilt forgotten. “Remind me to ask for her recipe.”

“No can do,” Marinette tutted playfully. “Family secret.”

“Then I’ll just have to marry you,” the words slipping forth before he’d had a moment to filter them. Spluttering noises came from his right where Marinette had been in process of opening her own thermos. His girlfriend was so adorably flustered that he decidedly bypassed the filter once more. “Consider it your dowry,” the blond throwing a Chat smirk.

“You- you…you don’t marry someone for a soup!” but her cheeks were pleasantly burning. It was only their first official (rescheduled) date and he was dropping the M word.

“Clearly whoever said that never tried your mother’s cooking.” The wink that coupled that statement sent her heart into erratic patterns. The haughty mannerism abated as Adrien drank another mouthful and Marinette couldn’t help but adore the look of pure bliss on his face. “I suppose I’ll just have to get sick more often.”

She finally undid the lid of her own thermos and gently blew over the top to cool the liquid within. “Maman will be thrilled you like her cooking so much.” _Maman will also_ not _hear that you wanted to propose just for a recipe._ Something told Marinette that Sabine Cheng would go on a cooking frenzy and Tom Dupain would offer up his baking secrets in good faith.

“Tell her thank you,” Adrien back to his genuine self as he relaxed, the canister held neatly in both hands.

The corners of her mouth turned up in response. “I will.”

“Would you like to watch a movie while you’re here? Or just, talk?”

“A movie sounds good.”

“Did you want to pick one out?” Adrien glancing up at the extensive library above their heads.

She followed his gaze and seemed to understand the slight dilemma there. “I, uh, guess I could browse?” Marinette carefully set the soup down before making her way to the staircase, aware of Adrien’s eyes like a pressure on her back until she’d left his line of sight. Fingertips trailed over the shelves as she took in the sheer volume of DVDs, the slim cases organized by genre and title.

“Did you have a type in mind?” Marinette partially sliding out one that looked like an action film.

The thermos hadn’t yet made it to his lips but Adrien lowered it again. There was always the cliché of a romance movie, or he could see about a horror film for an excuse to hold his girlfriend close. _A zombie movie, maybe, or a thriller_ , he mused before an image of Marinette, dolled up but with a steady eye and focused expression in the face of a threat made his heart palpitate. “Maybe something light?” his voice called up; he’d already had his scare today. 

“Something light?” she questioned even as she continued to browse. “Oh!” the girl making her way downstairs with her chosen movie pressed to her chest. “Is it okay if we watch this one?” Marinette suddenly timid as she carefully offered the case to him.

He blinked in confusion until Adrien saw the title; _SOLITUDE_. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. “I guess you never did get to see it.”

“No,” Marinette moving to reclaim her spot on the couch. “I was always sad we didn’t get to watch it together. I didn’t realize you had a copy?”

A short laugh escaped him. “Yeah, so, after the whole ordeal with the Gorilla chasing me and getting akumatized, my father told me he had a copy of it. We actually watched it together that night.” His hand smoothed over the slim volume fondly at the memory. “He gifted it to me after that.”

She mirrored his smile. “I’m glad you were able to spend time with your father.” The thermos of soup back in hand, Marinette relaxed. “So we can watch it? Together?”

“Gladly,” warmth blossoming in his chest that she would remember this film at all. The teen set about turning the lights off and popping the disc into the player. Tentatively, Adrien sat a bit closer on the couch. Perhaps it was the dark, or the memory of the last time he’d sat with the ravenette on a couch, that made Adrien hyperaware of the space between them like a living thing.

A woman in a white suit came on screen, rain falling as she walked along the riverbank alone before peering over her shoulder at the audience with eyes fraught with uncertainty. For all of the times he had watched this film, Adrien had never been so distracted from his mother’s face. Marinette shifted slightly closer to him, blue eyes rapt on the television and hands neatly folded over the canister of soup. His posture mimicked hers but his senses were completely attuned to her every motion. It was good that he’d long since memorized the movie as Adrien only vaguely processed the events; it was after all characters and the plot had been introduced that a jolt shocked his system when Marinette closed the gap between them, peering up briefly as if to ask permission, and Adrien felt warmth radiate out from where they touched. His arm around her elicited a bright smile of her own as the couple relaxed into one another, bathed in the light of the screen.

The mystery was finally answered in the last ten minutes while Marinette tucked securely into his side, her courage coaxed by his warmth and bolstered by the dark. The final scene came and went, leaving the girl in pensive silence as the credits began to roll. When _Emilie Agreste_ flashed across the screen, stark white on black, she sucked in a breath and came back to life.

“That was a great movie. Your mom is a really good actress.”

They both stilled at the tense before Adrien lightly squeezed her to him. “Yeah, she was.”

“I, uh, think you said this was the only film she starred in?” her voice much more subdued now.

“It was. I think she was an extra in some other movies but _SOLITUDE_ is the only one she played a major role.”

“I’m surprised. She was so believable. Surprised no one reached out to her for other roles.” Blue eyes chanced to peer up and she was met with a soft smile.

“They did, from what I was told, but she turned them down. Father had proposed and she wanted a family more than a career,” his words gentle and sweet.

Marinette blinked in the face of his reminiscence, taking in the way Adrien was more fond of Emilie’s decision rather than saddened by the empty space in his life. If he could be positive then she should be, too. “I’m glad we could finally watch the movie together.”

“Me, too,” Adrien’s smile brightening as one hand moved to smooth hair away from her face. The act made her still at his touch, blue eyes bright in the dark and unwavering in how they looked at him. Illuminated by the television screen, she looked otherworldly. The image of her focused expression from the alleyway came back to his mind unbidden and his fingers flexed. Desire had him lean close and rationale made him stop. “May I kiss you?” the words whispered into the space still between them.

Her response was to close the gap, soft lips pressing timidly against his own. Gentle music floated throughout the room from the credits but the teens were lost amidst the sense of the other, their kisses firmer but always gentle. Marinette’s hands found their way to his shoulders and it was like he could feel warmth radiating from every fingertip towards his heart. His own hands hesitated before settling feather-light on her waist, the ingrained sense of gentleman unsure where propriety stood now.

Instinct guided her, Marinette angling towards him and leaning closer. A shy smile pulled at her mouth as she found her courage to express her affection. Her lungs expanded in a sudden need for air, pulling in a deep breath and filling her nose with familiar cologne. Her palms smoothed over his shoulders as her nose brushed along his and she was nearly dizzy with euphoria.

Bliss tingled down his frame with every contact, his lips learning the dance and playing their part as he lost himself to her touch. That sense of completeness flooded his heart and he never wanted to lose it. One hand moved from her waist to fit in the space between her shoulder blades, pressing firmly as if to insist, _don’t leave_. Fingertips combed through his hair and the boy nearly melted where he sat, a breathless sigh lost somewhere between their mouths.

Whatever Marinette was thinking – or perhaps it was that she _stopped_ thinking – that made her courage go one step further. A leg swung over to the other side that the girl could sit astride his lap. She tickled his scalp again and Adrien sank into his own couch, Marinette delighting in the simple way he had come undone. It felt like a magic of its own kind, to reduce him to such a state of utter relaxation. She continued to shower him with affection built up over the years, pressing gentle kisses to his jaw and nose and trailing a fingertip lightly over his brows and cheek. Lips ghosted over her wrist and it elicited gooseflesh all along her arms. Marinette was only too happy to comply when he sought to recapture her mouth. The simple reality of chaste kisses was better in this moment than any fantasy she’d dreamed up alone in her bed. Gently, she tugged his lower lip between her teeth, smiling as the boy seemed to blink himself back to reality.

Her expression was something between a smile and a smirk and _damn_ if it didn’t threaten to kill Adrien where he sat. He could die happy if this is how it all ended. Plagg would probably complain. The thought of a disgruntled cheese-starved kwami made him chuckle. His hands seemed to exist to him once again, Adrien trailing them over her back. Their position registered itself and heat burned his cheeks though he couldn’t say if he truly cared to be embarrassed to hold her so close.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“You’re pretty cute, too, Hot Stuff.”

“Hot Stuff?” the nickname comical but for the husky way her voice was now, Marinette could call him whatever she wanted.

The laugh she offered was both wholly Marinette and not a laugh she’d ever made before, the sound deep and inviting. “It’s the best I could come up with on short notice,” her voice resuming its natural tone.

His hand threaded into her hair to guide her closer for another kiss. “You have plenty of time.”

Pure joy filled her heart; embarrassment over everything could come later. She worked her fingers through his hair again and laughter bubbled up to see how it affected the boy. “Are you a cat or something?” Marinette half expected to hear purring.

 _Yes_. “Maybe. Depends if you like cats,” one green eye peeking open with a smirk.

“I like cats,” Marinette blushing. When memories of another blond fluttered across her mind, she dropped her gaze to his jaw. She shouldn’t be thinking about him. _It was a one time thing, Chat isn’t interested in me. He has someone else, anyway, someone to make him happy... Does he think about that night, too?_ As if Adrien could sense her thoughts running away, he gave her a hug. A bright smile took over her mouth as the ravenette focused on her boyfriend again.

“Thank you for coming over tonight.” He didn’t want her to leave, especially not now when she was warm and inviting on his lap.

Marinette leaned close to peck his mouth again. “Of course.” It was not the shyness that prompted her to move but the way her legs cried from being bent so long. The act of moving off to one side was clumsier than she would have liked, Marinette moving to tuck her legs before they cried again with discomfort. The end result both retained intimacy and permitted blood flow with her legs draped over Adrien’s lap and herself tucked up in the crook of an arm.

He nuzzled his cheek to the top of her head as a sense of peace washed over him. “Do you need to be up early tomorrow?”

She answered with a negative sound. “I have the day off.” Her parents had no orders to fill so there was nothing to help with; there would be plenty of time to catch up with them over dinner.

“So…you can stay a little longer?”

Marinette placed a kiss over his heart before pressing her ear to the spot. “I can stay a little longer.”

Relief radiated through him as Adrien held her close. “I’m so happy you came over.”

“Me, too,” the girl closing her eyes to listen to his heart.

How long they sat like that, he didn’t know for sure but it was with a slow understanding that the moon had traveled across his windowed sky that Adrien pulled himself back to full consciousness. “Marinette,” the teen finally understanding that they had fallen asleep together. Her breathing remained slow and even, her face so relaxed that he couldn’t bring himself to wake her just to send her home. It was with his mouth pressed into a line that Adrien carefully stood up with his girlfriend in his arms, initially looking at the couch before deciding that a couch was no place for his princess. His heart skipped erratically just from the concept of Marinette in his bed but he quieted its assumptions by tucking the duvet neatly over her. Her purse and phone were set on the desk before Adrien saw himself back to the couch with a spare blanket. Green eyes sought out the moon as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The day hadn’t gone in any way he’d planned, and that was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Tikki and Plagg are probably raiding the kitchen together.
> 
> My hope with this story is to build the Adrienette relationship at a healthy pace complete with awkward moments as they learn together. I really enjoyed letting Adrien's Chat Humor slip through on this; a future romantic scene will hopefully mirror this with Marinette letting her Ladybug Confidence show.
> 
> The Party Crasher reference replaced a Bubbler reference. I'm actually still torn between what I include from the third season since I started HaHC around Time Tagger and the whole Miracle Queen thing is a game changer that I don't know if I want to address in this plot. It means I'll also have to make a decision on Lukanette and Adrigami, which I'm unsure will integrate well. Please roll with the punches if I include some season three canon and not others.
> 
> If you have questions/comments/suggestions about the chapter, you know what to do :3 
> 
> And if you are feeling anxious, reach out to someone you trust. Stay connected.


End file.
